The sophomore class in the Academy for Global Studies traveled to Costa Rica to experience the culture and their ways of life.

“I loved it. This was my fourth time going on this trip – it’s fun every year,” AGS math teacher Steven Trenfield said.

The annual trips are motivated by AGS’s specific academy pillars, the core values each academy patterns its learning experience on.

“Part of being in the AGS is that two of our pillars are to investigate the world and recognize perspectives,” Trenfield said. “In order to do those things, we have to get outside the classroom and actually see the world.”

The sophomores visited Earth University, a campus where they learned about the environmental concerns facing the world. These ideas connected to the projects the students have been working on.

“For a lot of the kids it’s their first time there, so we don’t focus too much on the current political situation,” Trenfield said.

Costa Rica has recently had an election, in which Carlos Quesada became the new president. The country is also making an effort to become the first carbon-neutral country in the world. The people and culture of Costa Rica were a major source of interest throughout the trip.

“I noticed that there was a lot of globalization within the culture of Costa Rica,” AGS sophomore George Christian said.  “For all our differences, we had so much in common.”

Even when staying for a night with the Bri Bri tribe, Trenfield still felt a sense of solidarity with the locals.

“A lot of people have misconceptions about indigenous peoples,” Trenfield said. “Even though they have a different set of beliefs and a different way of life, they are still just as civilized as us.”

From helping out on local farms to learning about Latin America’s history, Christian returned full of stories and with a new outlook. These activities allowed for connections to themes that surround the academy such as how environmentalism affects different parts of the world.

“I would definitely go back to Costa Rica. It was interesting and it opened my eyes to a lot of environmental issues that developing countries are dealing with,” Christian said.