Swimming with puffer fish, visiting an active volcano and touring the rainforest are not your average experiences on a field trip. A group of 18 Reynoldsburg High School students recently had an opportunity to travel to Costa Rica.

“The goal was to spark an interest in culture, language, environment, and ecology.  This experience enriched students' Portrait of a Graduate competencies in the most authentic ways.  We also had a lot of fun along the way!” said Megan Frate, a Spanish teacher at RHS-Summit Campus who traveled with the students and art teacher Kellie Gedert from RHS-Livingston Campus.

Frate is among the teachers on the International Travel Committee who help guide student trips to maximize the enriching educational experiences.

For many of the students, this was the first time they have traveled outside the United States.

“I wanted to go to have a good experience in another country and I thought it would be a once in a lifetime opportunity,” said student traveler Amaya Robinson.

Ahmere Anderson is also glad he decided to go.

“Meeting the Costa Rican people was the most memorable part of the trip. They were so welcoming and fun to be around,” he said.

During the seven-day trip, the RHS students met with local school children to learn more about their Central American counterparts and an impromptu soccer game brought the students together.  Additionally, students cooked their own food at a sustainable farm in the mountains, practiced Latin dancing, and warmed up in geothermal springs.  

The travel committee is planning future trips to Eastern Europe, Belize and Spain in 2024.