Students have the opportunity to travel to Costa Rica in June of 2019 to experience the culture and 12 ecosystems first-hand. They’re given the chance to see what it takes to be field ecologists and researchers, plus see the different types of plants and animals Costa Rica has to offer. Physics teacher David Pribich will be traveling with anyone who decides to go.

“[The trip is] a combination of science, adventure, leaving the country, [students get to] socialize with your friends and see Costa Rica,” Pribich said. “They’d learn a little science along the way. They’ll have good time and remember it hopefully for a long time.”

Pribich and students will plan their trip through WorldStrides, a company that provides educational travel opportunities for students.

“For 50 years, WorldStrides has taken over seven million students on educational trips,” WorldStrides employee Diane Powell said. “We offer travel programs to high schools, middle schools and even college students. WorldStrides wants to provide great and fun educational trips to students all over the world.”

Depending on the destination, WorldStrides begins to plan out activities beforehand. With this trip, the company decided to create an itinerary in order to draw in more students and fulfill the biology requirements.

“The schedule will be determined closer to departure, but activities could include zip lining, visiting the rainforest, whitewater rafting and more,” Powell said. “We want everyone to be able to experience one of our trips. They truly are for everyone.”

Apart from the attractions Costa Rica provides, students also gain benefits from the experiences as well.

“I think a lot of them have not been out of the United States so to see a different culture, different life and [to] go with their friends and not their parents, it’s kind of a grown-up event,” Pribich said.

With her desire to go to Costa Rica, junior Leyla Davydova has much she looks forward to experiencing if she is offered the chance to go.

“I would definitely want to try everything new like zip lining, meeting new people, getting familiar with their culture,” Davydova said. ”[Since] I work and I’m pretty good at saving money, I’ll see how much I have to save up for and find out all the information for the trip then I’ll decide [if I go].”

For those who have financial hardships but want to go, WorldStrides has various solutions for them to be able to pay.

“It’s around $2,500 and [they have three ways you can pay],” Pribich said. “You can set up your own website through [WorldStrides] and you email it to people and they can donate to you. You can also pay monthly for 15 months in a row. They have financial assistance, you call this 800 number confidentially and your parents talk about income and they tell you how much money they’ll give you before you sign up for this trip. [Money] shouldn’t stop you from going.”

With her passion for traveling, this provides Davydova the chance to travel to a new place to explore. Not only does she desire to go but she also strives to encourage others to experience this trip as well.

“I have always been interested in traveling the world,” Davydova said. “[It’s] what I want to do for the rest of my life because [the world] really attracts me. This world is really big and I would recommend seeing as much of it as you can.”

Powell not only wishes students attend for the mere pleasure of it but hopes they gain some knowledge out of the experiences.

“It’s not just about seeing Costa Rica, [it’s] an opportunity to experience life, science and culture in a different country,” Powell said. “This trip is about interacting with people, learning outside of the classroom walls and making memories to last a lifetime.”