Dates
Saturday, July 6
- Saturday, July 20
RSVP by
Saturday, September 30
Time
All Day
Location
Ames, IA, and Costa Rica
Which age/grade is welcome?
High School Students (Sophomore-Senior)
About this event
Travel Sparq is a new nonprofit in Ames, creating unique learning opportunities for low-income students through international travel! The Travel Sparq Pacuare Sea Turtle trip will take off in July 2024!
A little about the trip: eligible students apply for the program on our website (under the Students tab when applications are open). If accepted, they will engage in 5 pre-trip classes. Then it’s wheels up; we will spend two weeks in July in Costa Rica. They will be learning a different language, navigating a new culture, and realizing they are capable. They will spend the first week volunteering at a sea turtle conservancy in Pacuare, Limon, Costa Rica (run by L.A.S.T.). In the second week, they will explore one of the most bio-diverse countries in the world and experience cultural excursions. The staff on the trip will be the trip leader (travel veteran) and either an educator or a therapist depending on availability. We will require daily guided reflections to help make sense of what’s happening on the trip and how to absorb it. Then, when we return, we will have several post-trip classes to help them understand what they experienced and how that can translate to real-world skills.
Applications will open in September of 2023, but students are welcome to join our mailing list to be reminded when applications open. In addition, an informational session for parents, guardians, and interested students will be held in August 2023. This opportunity is at no cost to the student. More information is on our website, including eligibility requirements.