RBR's World Adventure Team Heads to Costa Rica

Back in September 2009 when they were Freshmen starting out at a new school, signs were posted and a buzz about a trip to Costa Rica started.  Cassandra Dorn, an English teacher at was putting together a trip that would challenge students. 

“The goal of this trip is not only to see another part of the world,” explains Dorn. “The journey will develop problem-solving, teamwork and leadership skills. Basically, every facet of the trip involves student decision-making and planning. It will be an incredible adventure, and it takes special students to be willing to spend a month away from family and friends, living in tents, going without the luxuries of home, and pushing themselves to learn and grow.” 

The trip is run by United Kingdom based organization, World Challenge (WC).  Along with the students and their chaperone will be an Expedition Leader from WC, Daine Johnston. 

The group left JFK airport on Tuesday morning and flew into Managua, Nicaragua.  The students will spend a week in Nicaragua, where they will help to build a school for local kindergarten children. After they have completed their service project, the students will cross the border into Costa Rica, where they will spend three weeks.

When I tell people that my son is going to Costa Rica for a month this summer, the first thing they ask is, “For surfing?  Great surfing in Costa Rica”, I reply, “No, it’s a community service project, with his high school and World Challenge.”   Immediately they start listening and want to know more.  The program was developed to provide personal growth and character building opportunities for high school students. 

The group from RBR started fundraising for the trip last year. They organized garage sales, bagged groceries for tips, ran a car wash, organized a local pizza night and took on part time jobs to earn money for the trip.  As well as raising money for the trip, the Challengers as Ms. Dorn calls them, are responsible for the trip planning including a budget, planning transportation, planning and cooking meals and overall group responsibilities.

While in Costa Rica, they will explore the Monteverde cloud forest region, where they will check out nature reserves and possibly zip line.  They will be making several treks, including a trip up Cerro Ena, a 10,000 foot peak which will take four days to summit.   From Cerro Ena, they will head to the capital city of San Jose for some relaxation before heading back home. 

At the pre-departure meeting, back in April, we were told not to expect to hear from our Challengers while they were gone…No News is Good News!

To learn more about World Challenge check out their web site www.world-challenge-expeditions.com