Hi, my name is Will Addington. I am 13 years old, and I live in Fort Collins, Colorado. I am a 7th grader at Lincoln Middle, an IB World School. My favorite animal is a monkey, and in my free time I like to play sports and hangout with my friends. I wanted to go on the service learning trip to Costa Rica because I knew it would be an amazing experience that would change me. I'm so grateful I got to go because I feel more connected and I have a better understanding for things like culture. One of the life lessons I learned from this trip is that no matter how much time you have, be happy and live life to the fullest. Because of this trip, I hope to teach others to be more thoughtful environmentally. Something I will never forget is seeing monkeys on our river float. This trip made me a better person by making me more open-minded and happy.
Hi, my name is Riley Bashkin. I am 13 years old, and I live in Fort Collins, Colorado. I am a 7th grader at Lincoln Middle, an IB World School. My favorite color is blue, and in my free time I like to hang out with my friends. I wanted to go on the service learning trip to Costa Rica because is was an opportunity to experience a different culture and help the locals. I'm so grateful I got to go because not only did I learn tons, I formed new bonds and really got to see how important conserving nature is. One of the life lessons I learned from this trip is never take what you have for granted and helping even with something small can make a big impact. Because of this trip, I hope to teach others how to care for the environment and get out into nature more. Something I will never forget is helping the community and getting to interact with the locals. This trip made me a better person by teaching me that the earth is a precious resource and it needs to be taken care of better.
Hi, my name is Jasmine. I am 12 years old, and I live in Fort Collins, Colorado. I am a 7th grader at Lincoln Middle, an IB World School. My favorite thing to do is be in high places, and in my free time I like to bake. I wanted to go on the service learning trip to Costa Rica because I wanted to connect with all the kids going and experience some of Latin America's rich culture as well as help out other people. I'm so grateful I got to go because I made so many memories and it made me realize how diverse our world is. One of the life lessons I learned from this trip is 'Just Be In The Moment'. Because of this trip, I hope to teach others about helping the environment. Something I will never forget is how nice all the locals were. This trip made me a better person by giving me things to think about so I can help the world.
Hi, my name is Maia. I am 13 years old, and I live in Fort Collins, Colorado. I am a 7th grader at Lincoln Middle, an IB World School. My favorite TV show is Friends, and in my free time I like to play volleyball. I wanted to go on the service learning trip to Costa Rica because learning about other people's culture is very important. I'm so grateful I got to go because I learned so much while I was there. One of the life lessons I learned from this trip is to work hard on everything. Because of this trip, I hope to teach others about all of the animals in Costa Rica. Something I will never forget is seeing all of the wildlife. This trip made me a better person by showing me that you can change the world by helping in the simplest of ways.
Hi, my name is Kendra. I am 12 years old, and I live in Fort Collins,Colorado. I am a 7th grader at Lincoln Middle, an IB World School. My favorite subject is math, and in my free time I like to read. I wanted to go on the service learning trip to Costa Rica because it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience and this experience was going to teach me about Costa Rica. I'm so grateful I got to go because once again it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I learned so many things that are helping me in life .One of the life lessons I learned from this trip is to be grateful and responsible. Because of this trip I hope to teach others to respect others and be grateful. Something I will never forget is the culture and how the communities treated each other.This trip made me a better person by showing me how many responsibilities there are in life.
Hi, my name is Ali (I'm the one on the right in the photo). I am 12 years old, and I live in Fort Collins, Colorado. I am a 7th grader at Lincoln Middle, an IB World School. My favorite subject in school is World Geography, and in my free time I like to dance. I wanted to go on the service learning trip to Costa Rica because it was an incredible opportunity I did not want to miss out on and I wanted to learn more about the world around me and how traveling can affect me. I'm so grateful I got to go because I learned so much about another culture and way of life. I had an amazing experience doing so many fun activities and spending time with my classmates. One of the life lessons I learned from this trip is that taking risks and being able to step out of your comfort zone pays off to help you become a better citizen and become more open minded. Because of this trip, I hope to teach others to be more open minded about others' ways and not to judge anyone by their cover. Something I will never forget is playing in the river on our boat float and watching the fish jump up and eat the fresh Costa Rican fruit. This trip made me a better person by teaching me more about people around the world and how it doesn't take much to make a difference.
Hi, my name is Antwan. I am 12 years old, and I live in Fort Collins, Colorado. I am a 7th grader at Lincoln Middle, an IB World School. My favorite sport is football, and in my free time I like to play video games and draw. I wanted to go on the service learning trip to Costa Rica because I have never been out of the U.S. and I wanted to help other people. I'm so grateful I got to go because I learned new skills and learned new things about nature and wildlife. One of the life lessons I learned from this trip is be a risk taker because you never know what you could be missing out on. Because of this trip, I hope to teach others the importance of nature and how to save nature. Something I will never forget is the friendly Ticos I got to meet. This trip made me a better person by helping me realize I'm not the only person in the world which means I have do things that will help out others too.
Hi, my name is Hy. I am 12 years old, and I live in Fort Collins, Colorado. I am a 7th grader at Lincoln Middle, an IB World School. My favorite color is maroon, and in my free time I like to act, dance, box and play basketball. I wanted to go on the service learning trip to Costa Rica because I love trying new things and I wanted to see a sloth. I'm so grateful I got to go because I saw a sloth and I am now closer to a lot of people. One of the life lessons I learned from this trip is to always be brave and kind. Because of this trip, I hope to teach others to also be brave and kind. Something I will never forget is sharing awesome memories with my friends. This trip made me a better person by causing me to step out of my comfort zone.
Hi, my name is Brady. I am 12 years old, and I live in Fort Collins, Colorado. I am a 7th grader at Lincoln Middle, an IB World School. My favorite color is teal, and in my free time I like to read. I wanted to go on the service learning trip to Costa Rica because I wanted to make a difference in the world. I'm so grateful I got to go because it made me realize that not everyone has the same lifestyle. One of the life lessons I learned from this trip is just because you have something doesn't mean other people have it too . Because of this trip, I hope to teach others that not everything in the world is perfect. Something I will never forget is when we went ziplining through the cloud forest. This trip made me a better person by helping me realize the diversity in the world.
My name is Mira Juniper, and I love dogs and skiing. I'm a 7th grader at Lincoln Middle, an IB World School. I went on a service trip to Costa Rica in November, and it was a truly life changing experience. I learned from and experienced a new culture and discovered another world outside of my own. I'm incredibly grateful I was able to go; it changed my outlook and provided me with the opportunity to try new food, discover wildlife, and learn about an entirely new culture. But it was more than just a stunning adventure; it was also a challenge. We stepped out of our comfort zone, working as a team and trying new things. It was remarkable to see how we grew as a team, going from barely knowing each other to working together seamlessly.
Costa Ricans are the most friendly people I've ever met, greeting random people and helping anyone who needs it. After meeting such friendly and hospitable people, we had the opportunity to do 3 service projects to improve their quality of life: reforesting a property, buying supplies for a local orphanage, and renovating a soccer field. We felt that it was the least we could do, and were more than happy to help.
On this trip, I learned that I shouldn't expect things to work, but I still have to make the most of it, especially during something so extraordinary as a trip to a new country. In Costa Rica, the community is very aware of the environment, living minimally and wasting nothing. If there was one thing I wish the US would learn from Costa Rica, it would be this.
I'll never forget any of the trip; it was the most meaningful and eye opening journey I've ever experienced. From the longest hike to a small game of soccer, I can barely start to explain how amazing it was. I realized how small I am in the grand scheme of things, and how insignificant my problems are. I would do it all again in a heartbeat, and I can't express how grateful I am to everyone who made it possible.
Hi, my name is Alex. I am 13 years old, and I live in Fort Collins, Colorado. I am a 7th grader at Lincoln Middle, an IB World School. My favorite food is chicken parmesan, and in my free time I like to fly fish. I wanted to go on the service learning trip to Costa Rica because I thought it would be an interesting experience to go help out in another country. I'm so grateful I got to go because I made a lot of new friends and experienced some things that I would never have if I didn't go. One of the life lessons I learned from this trip is to just be more open minded because there are a lot more things to this world then I had ever thought. Because of this trip, I hope to teach others to just realize that your impact on the world affects others. Something I will never forget is seeing a coral snake slither out from underneath the path. This trip made me a better person by just making me think more about the world around me.
Hi, my name is Kieran. I am 12 years old, and I live in Fort Collins, Colorado. I am a 7th grader at Lincoln Middle, an IB World School. My favorite sport is basketball, and in my free time I like to read. I wanted to go on the service learning trip to Costa Rica because it sounded like a good experience; every time I heard anyone talk about the trip they would say it was so amazing or that they wanted to go back. I'm so grateful I got to go because it was really fun and it gave me a wider world view. One of the life lessons I learned from this trip is that service can be fun, even with no material/fiscal reward. Because of this trip, I hope to teach others about what I learned on this trip, like the value of friendship, nature, and acceptance. Something I will never forget is our bus rides. Even though they were long, they were always fun and there was always something going on. This trip made me a better person by having me see different ways of life and knowing that that is ok.
Hi, my name is Kade. I am 13 years old, and I live in Fort Collins, Colorado. I am a 7th grader at Lincoln Middle, an IB World School. My favorite sport is tennis, and in my free time I like to either play super smash bros or practice tennis. I wanted to go on the service learning trip to Costa Rica because of the bragging rights, and to experience all the wildlife. I'm so grateful I got to go because it was a really eye-opening experience. One of the life lessons I learned from this trip is how you shouldn't be controlled by your electronics. Because of this trip, I hope to teach others to be kinder, and to spend less time on a screen. Something I will never forget is Momo, a dying baby squirrel we saw and rescued from dying. This trip made me a better person by expanding my horizons and helping me look at the big picture.
Hi, my name is Hannah. I am 12 years old, and I live in Fort Collins, Colorado. I am a 7th grader at Lincoln Middle, an IB World School. My favorite sport is volleyball, and in my free time I like to hang out with my friends and play volleyball. I wanted to go on the service learning trip to Costa Rica because this could be a once in a lifetime opportunity. Also, I have friends who went the year before and they loved it and told me to go. I'm so grateful I got to go because I bonded a lot with my friends and got to do the most amazing things. One of the life lessons I learned from this trip is sometimes you need to step out of your comfort zone because you never know what you're missing out on. Because of this trip, I hope to teach others that doing good things for others makes you feel even better. Something I will never forget is even if you think you know somebody well, there is always something more you can learn about them.This trip made me a better person by making me live in the moment and not get caught up in stuff that hasn't happened yet.
Hi, my name is Ilyah. I am 13 years old, and I live in Fort Collins,Colorado. I am a 7th grader at Lincoln Middle,an IB World School. My favorite subject in school is science, and in my free time I like to play volleyball. I wanted to go on the service learning trip to Costa Rica because I thought it would be a great opportunity for me to learn about a different culture. I'm so grateful I got to go because it has changed me on how I see the world now. One of the life lessons I learned from this trip is to be more open minded. Because of this trip,I hope to teach others to try things out of your comfort zone. Something I will never forget is how Costa Ricans seem to live a more carefree life than we do.The trip made me a better person by having more respect for nature.
Hi, my name is Ana Meschievitz-Román. I am 12 years old, and I live in Fort Collins, Colorado. I am a 7th grader at Lincoln Middle, an IB World School. My favorite color is turquoise, and in my free time I like to go horseback riding. I wanted to go on the service learning trip to Costa Rica because I knew it would teach me about others in the world. I'm so grateful I got to go because it was a very life changing experience. One of the life lessons I learned from this trip is how to better conserve our planet in everyday life. Because of this trip, I hope to teach others the rewards that come from stepping out of your comfort zone. Something I will never forget is the rewarding feeling after completing a service project. This trip made me a better person by teaching me to have a more humbled mindset.
Hi, my name is Izzy. I am 13 years old, and I live in Fort Collins, Colorado. I am a 7th grader at Lincoln Middle, an IB World School. My favorite subject is Social Studies, and in my free time I like to read. I wanted to go on the service learning trip to Costa Rica because I thought it was a great opportunity to learn and have fun. I'm so grateful I got to go because it was probably the best experience of my life. One of the life lessons I learned from this trip is that when you trust those around you, you are not just friends you are like family. Because of this trip, I hope to teach others what it's like to trust and be trusted. Something I will never forget is all of the fun things we all did together. This trip made me a better person by helping me listen to others and to place my trust in others .
Hi, my name is Cecilia Sergi. I am 13 years old, and I live in Fort Collins, Colorado. I am a 7th grader at Lincoln Middle, an IB World School. My favorite thing is ballet, and in my free time I like to dance. I wanted to go on the service learning trip to Costa Rica because there were so many cool opportunities. I'm so grateful I got to go because it made me a better person. One of the life lessons I learned from this trip is to help others no matter your differences. Because of this trip, I hope to teach others about kindness and volunteering. Something I will never forget is when we all saw a sloth for the first time. This trip made me a better person by pushing me out of my comfort zone.
Hi, my name is Evan (in the picture, I'm the one in the middle). I am 12 years old, and I live in Fort Collins, Colorado. I am a 7th grader at Lincoln Middle, an IB World School. My favorite sport is hockey, and in my free time I like to play hockey. I wanted to go on the service learning trip to Costa Rica because I wanted to help people. I'm so grateful I got to go because I did help people and it was a once in a lifetime opportunity. One of the life lessons I learned from this trip is live in the moment. Another lesson I learned was some people might need help so you should always help them if you are able to. Because of this trip, I hope to teach others how fun it is to help other people and to see their faces once you have helped them. Something I will never forget is helping people with a good group of friends and liking it. This trip made me a better person by learning that not all people have the materials to do certain things but that you can still be happy and make the most of life.
Hi, my name is Elias. I am 13 years old, and I live in Fort Collins, Colorado. I am a 7th grader at Lincoln Middle, an IB World School. My favorite food is Mexican rice and beans, and in my free time I like to build. I wanted to go on the service learning trip to Costa Rica because I wanted to help out. I'm so grateful I got to go because It was so amazing. One of the life lessons I learned from this trip is always be nice to the community. Because of this trip, I hope to teach others love. Something I will never forget is the pineapple plantation. This trip made me a better person by showing me I can change the world in good ways.
We are the lucky crew who accompany these amazing students on a life-changing adventure to Costa Rica.  As educators in school, we know the value of learning about the world, but as educators in the field we get to see students making profound discoveries about our world firsthand. This trip's effects are long lasting and far reaching: Our students grow socially, emotionally, and academically.  We cannot express how fortunate we feel to be able to spend this kind of quality time with our students, helping them discover, explore, and expand their strengths and passions. This is the kind of life-long learning we hope to model and inspire in our students.