Summer of 2024 promises to be 'pura vida' for SA travelers
By Tyler Kerstetter ‘25, sports editor
A select number of students from various grades are going to be packing their bags for an exciting trip to Costa Rica. The trip, which will be led by Ms. Deanna Zettelmoyer and Mrs. Patricia Rhoads, will take place June 2024, and allow students to immerse themselves in the interesting culture and beautiful landscapes of Central America.
The Shamokin Area travelers are partnering with ACIS™ (The American Council for International Studies), for this trip, which is expected to be a great experience.
Students and chaperones will depart from Newark, New Jersey, in late June, and touch down from a near 10-hour flight in San José, Costa Rica. From there, the group will explore the diverse capital of San José. The following day, students will visit the Doka Estate coffee plantation, where they will be able to experience the coffee making process. Students will also be able to test various types of brews from the country’s coffee capital. Later that day, they will travel to the small artisan town of Sarchí, and explore the extravagant history of the town.
Throughout the following days, the students will travel to the Monteverde to explore the scenic town and rainforest. There, they will participate in the Monteverde Canopy Tour, and zip-line over the vast canopy covering of the Monteverde. From Monteverde, the students will travel to San Carlos to visit the Arenal Volcano. The students will be given the opportunity to swim in the hot springs under the volcano, and hike through Arenal’s closest private reserve. The group also will visit with local students in San Carlos.
In Sarapiquí, the bunch will participate in a reforestation project by planting saplings. After this, the students will take part in a cultural cooking lesson. On the way back to San José, the group will take an aerial tram through Braulio Carrillo National Park, and see toucans, quetzals (a distinctly-colored bird), and capuchin monkeys.
Finally, on July 3, the students will touch back home in the United States, after a long eight days in scenic Costa Rica.
