Earlier this month, the fifth grade class at Cliff Valley School spent a week in Costa Rica as part of their environmental education and Spanish studies.

Students visited Poás Volcano, an active stratovolcano in central Costa Rica; toured the La Paz Waterfall Gardens, which is an ecological park and wildlife refuge with more than 100 species of animals; explored the beaches and reefs of uninhabited Tortuga Island; and toured the city of Alajuela. 

Students were able to use their Spanish language instruction and cultural studies – part of the Cliff Valley curriculum starting in Pre-K – when volunteering at a Costa Rican preschool and spending time at a local elementary school.

Michael Edwards, head of school, said, "Whether it is the international trip to a Spanish speaking country in fifth and eighth grades, all grade levels exchanging art and poetry with students in Africa or the many other connections we make with schools and organizations abroad, we want to offer students at Cliff Valley School a global perspective by initiating projects and trips that show not only the differences in how people live and learn around the world, but the similarities as well."

Two Cliff Valley students presented a blog during their Costa Rica trip; check out their experiences at: http://cvcostarica.posterous.com/

The week-long international trip is a yearly event for the fifth grade and will be for eighth graders, but overnight trips for students at Cliff Valley School begin in the third grade with three-day/two-night trips to the Blue Ridge Outdoor Education Center, Jekyll Island 4-H Center and Rock Eagle 4-H Center for third, fourth and sixth grades, respectively.