Global Engagement

Students and teachers learn valuable lessons in their travels to Puerto Rico and New Zealand.

Science teacher Alice Phillips

Trinity teachers Alice Phillips and Michael Stratton ’02 with leaders of the Patillas Eco-Resort I 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.

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 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,

it was one of the last lands to be settled by humans.

Despite its remoteness, the Dio School, as it is called, is actually a mecca for global education. During their stay, the school was hosting an IB training workshop for schools all over the world. Truman sat in on some of the workshops and learned that despite being on the other side of the world, New Zealand and Trinity had much in common. “We talked about the extended essay and about Theory of Knowledge and issues like meeting deadlines and ensuring the extended essay was research based,” she said. “There was more of a language difference than anything,” she said. Although English is the dominant language, there is a strong Polynesian influence and of its over four million people, 161,000 are fluent in Maori, a language associated with New Zealand’s Cook Islands. In addition to hosting an IB training, the Dio School was also hosting a Global Connections Seminar, a foundation designed for school leaders to develop global consciousness and promote international cooperation in their schools. “It was truly a multicultural experience,” said Truman. “Being internationally minded is no longer a luxury, it’s a necessity. If you can’t work with people who are different from you, you’re not going to make it in the future,” she said.

The trip was an opportunity to forge bonds and also learn about the environment and local history. Truman, Barnes and Sullivan went to nearby islands Tiritiri Matangi, Rangitoto and Motutapu to explore the habitat, took hikes and went to local museums. “We learned a lot about the geology and ecology,” she Truman. “The landscape is semi-tropical with lots of birds, but no native mammals. The trees are small because of the maritime climate and everywhere you look there is a view.” Taking care of their environment is also a priority in New Zealand. “You don’t see trash or graffiti,” she said. “They promote refilling water bottles. You can tell there is a real attempt to live sustainably.”

But the bonds formed with their host families proved to leave the greatest impression. The New Zealand girls (Ashleigh and Gemma) came to Richmond in January 2012 to stay with Barnes and Sullivan. “The highlight was getting to know Ash’s friends and family,” said Barnes. “I learned that friends are for a lifetime, no matter the distance between them.” Another New Zealand exchange is already in motion with two girls from the Dio school at Trinity in February, 2013 and plans to travel to Auckland again this summer.

Maggie Barnes ’14 (center left) and Brenna Sullivan ’13 (center right) with their New Zealand hosts Ash and Gemma. A view of downtown Auckland, New Zealand

(from left) Brenna Sullivan ’13, Maggie Barnes ’14 and IB Coordinator and chaperone Marti Truman

UPCOMING Opportunities

Appalachian Trail, Spring Break 2013, 2014 5 day outdoor expedition Potters for Peace, Spring Break 2013 Work side-by-side with artisans and craftsman in Nicaragua French Exchange, Spring Break 2013 Travel to Amiens, France Host students from Lycee la Providence in April 2013 Spanish Exchange, Spring Break 2013, 2014 Travel to Madrid New Zealand Exchange, July/August 2013 Trinity girls travel to Auckland, NZ Costa Rica, June 2014 Planet Earth Eco-Tour: “Service and Nature in Costa Rica” Germany, June 2014 Service trip to southern Germany

For additional information contact Global Engagement Coordinator Maureen Lohmuller: (804) 357-4142, maureenlohmuller@trinityes.org or visit http://wwwtrinityes.org/global