Middle School Students Travel to Costa Rica for an Adventure-Filled Trip

Twenty-five intrepid travelers journeyed to Costa Rica shortly after graduation for an enriching summer trip! Twenty-two students from the MacArthur Campus joined trip-leader Director of Constituent Relations and Grade 6 Advisor Chris Bolger, chaperone Grade 1 teacher Brodie Edgerton, and chaperone Kindergarten teacher Lisa Sample for the adventure of a lifetime. 

Four students from our rising Grade 7, thirteen students from our rising Grade 8, and five recent graduates from the Class of 2023 departed from the United States for a nine-day-long trip organized by our longtime partners at the tour company EcoTeach. The journey started with a visit to the Estación Las Tortugas, where students learned about turtle species that frequent the area. Although students didn’t see turtles laying eggs on this trip, the days there were filled with wildlife sightings of sloths, monkeys, toads, bats, and many species of native bugs and birds. The rest of the trip consisted of various action-packed activities, including whitewater rafting, ziplining through the rainforest, and hiking around the beautiful Arenal Volcano. Participants also learned about Costa Rica’s commitment to environmental sustainability and Costa Rican culture and cuisine–including a cooking class where everyone made their empanadas! 

Trip leader Chris Bolger reflects on the trip: “I am so thrilled that we were able to offer this experience to these twenty-two remarkable students! Our international trip program is a longstanding and important opportunity for our Middle School students, and we were delighted to return to Costa Rica for the first time since 2019. Brodie and Lisa particularly enjoyed working with our oldest students. I was thrilled to see the Middle School students in a different capacity, exploring the beautiful country of Costa Rica and all it has to offer! Please contact me with any questions about international summer trips, which we plan to continue to offer moving forward!”