Global Engagement Students and teachers learn valuable lessons in their travels to Puerto Rico and New Zealand.
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n June 2012, thirteen students traveled to Puerto Rico as part of Trinity’s Global Engagement Program, a program aligned with the IB World School mission of developing internationally minded students. They were accompanied by science teacher Alice Phillips and math teacher Michael Stratton ’02 for 10 days of community service, cultural exchange, adventure, and language immersion.
Science teacher Alice Phillips Trinity teachers Alice Phillips and Michael Stratton ’02 with leaders of the Patillas Eco-Resort The Trinity group
The group started in San Juan with a walking tour of the area and learned a history lesson of the region. “We really learned about what it means to be Puerto Rican,” said Phillips. “Strategically, it’s a gateway to the Caribbean and though originally an agricultural hub, now imports most of its food,” she said. “Though a mix of many different races, Puerto Ricans have a very rich and identifiable culture.”
Their first service project was near a town called Patillas where they built a house for a family in need. “This was real work and it was hot,” recalled Phillips. “We built four walls on the first day and tied rebar for the columns.” But the work and heat didn’t bother Trinity junior Jakes Wilkes much. “It was extremely hot most days and the jobs proved to be very strenuous at times, but we quickly found ways to be efficient and have fun in the process,” he said. “The family was clearly very appreciative,” said sophomore Allie Neal. “It made us all feel good about what we had accomplished.” The volunteers then went to a secondary rain forest where they did trail work and cleaned brush. The people who owned the land had turned part of it into a wastewater garden which essentially functioned as a water filtration system. “There is a real lasting connection to the natural world in Puerto Rico,” said Phillips. “It made me feel alive and aware and connected to the world.” They also traveled to Vieques, a small island just east of the mainland, known for its controversial history as a bombing range and testing ground for the United States Navy. Today the island is a national wildlife refuge with pristine white sand beaches and clear blue water. Trinity students did service work with a marine conservation group there, some of them cleaning aquariums and others getting to know the culture through volunteer work at a local camp. Though the work was rewarding, the trip was balanced with equal parts fun. “One of my favorite experiences was
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swimming in a natural spring in the jungle,” said Wilkes, “highlighted by a 30 foot natural water slide carved out of a large boulder.” The last stop on the mainland was the town of Fajardo. “We snorkeled, swam, watched the sunset, and reflected on all of our experiences from the past week,” said Wilkes. “The most valuable thing we learned is that working with people is always a rewarding experience. By trying new things and challenging ourselves, we were able to connect with amazing individuals we otherwise would have never had the chance of meeting,” he said. “In addition, I believe each person on the trip discovered new things about themselves.”
Maggie Barnes ’14 and Brenna Sullivan ’13 traveled to Auckland, New Zealand over the summer with International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Program Coordinator and science teacher Marti Truman. The trip was a combination of professional development, cultural exchange and environmental education. For Truman, it proved to be an invaluable source of knowledge about the IB program abroad as well as a lens into another culture and way of life. The exchange with Diocesan School for Girls, an IB World School in Auckland, NZ was the first of its kind for Trinity. It was an opportunity to establish a relationship with a school that had a similar academic vision to Trinity’s but was situated on one of the most remote island countries in the world. New Zealand is located in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, about 900 miles east of Australia across the Tasman Sea. Because of its remoteness,
