Language and volunteering trips to Costa Rica.

My name is Ned Flanagan and I co-led four groups of high school students on language and volunteering trips to Costa Rica coordinated through SEPA in the summer of 2022. SEPA provided an incredible experience for our students. Each day, students spent the morning volunteering at local schools alongside a SEPA volunteer coordinator, interacting with local students while helping with rehabilitation and  construction projects at the schools. After volunteering in the morning, students took four hours of small-group Spanish classes each afternoon, working with teachers on essential grammar and vocabulary relevant to the day’s volunteering. Teachers empowered students through experiential learning inside and outside the classroom, offering personalized instruction to meet each student’s specific ability level. Going far beyond traditional classroom learning, SEPA grounded lessons in Costa Rican culture and real-world exchanges in markets, shops, and schools across San Isidro del General. Each weekend, SEPA coordinated weekend trips around the country to visit some of the most beautiful National Parks and beaches Costa Rica has to offer, allowing students to take a break from classes and volunteering to enjoy the natural beauty and biodiversity of the Pacific coast. The warmth and compassion of each teacher and the entire SEPA team fostered a bond among our groups that was hard to leave behind at the end of our time in San Isidro. Thank you SEPA School!!!

Ned Flanagan

Overland -2022.