Serving proudly since 1873 as the beautiful Nebraska Panhandle's first newspaper
Serving proudly since 1873 as the beautiful Nebraska Panhandle's first newspaper
To understand, not just learn, a language, a student needs to experience the people and culture. True education needs immersion of the senses and communication.
That is the goal of the Sidney High School Spanish Club and their plans to travel to Costa Rica.
The trip is planned for June 2019. Fundraising efforts will start early December.
Sidney High School Spanish teacher Brett Avila said the district has a history of student trips to Europe. Last year, however, he submitted a request to visit Central America. The goal is to experience Central American Spanish and the culture of the region.
“There's a lot of geologic opportunities we would be able to see” in Europe, Avila said.
A meeting was held in November 2017 with interested students, parents and guardians, with 10 adults and 36 students. The original plan was divide their time between Costa Rica and Nicaragua. The plan was scaled back to only Costa Rica because of the safety and political climate of Nicaragua, according to Avila.
“The security threat was increased, so we're going to Costa Rica,” he said.
The tour is organized through Education First Tours with all meals provided. Avila said the meal inclusion is a cost savings compared to Europe where students and chaperones were responsible for all personal expenses. He said the trip is more adventurous than Europe with opportunities to walk under the rain forest canopy, experience a zip line, take a boat cruise, visit a volcano and a coffee plantation.
Cost of the trip is about $2,660 for students and $3,160 for parents. The current exchange rate is 620.248 colons to one U.S. dollar.
Avila said fundraising began as soon as students committed to the trip. Some students are sponsored and others are seeking support for the trip. The Spanish Club is also doing fundraising as a group, with four gift-wrapping events early in December. Students will be at the Illinois Street entrance of the Sidney Sun-Telegraph 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 1, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 2 at the Cheyenne County Community Center, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Dec. 14 at the Sidney High School home basketball game and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 15 at the SHS Wrestling Tournament. Wrapping paper and supplies are being donated by area businesses. Cost of the gift-wrapping is a donation to the trip.
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