Students experience rainforest living

23/09/2009
By Chris Simon

Kendra Doherty got a pretty good view of the South American rainforest this summer.
With an opportunity to soar about 600 feet above the ground, the Nantyr Shores Secondary School Grade 12 student gladly volunteered to zip line through the forest canopy, during a two week learning adventure to Costa Rica in July.

Along with fellow student Jessica Dunn and teachers Trevor Neale and Kate Allan, Doherty participated in Global Journeys 2009. The program offers Canadian and American students a chance to explore cultures in countries throughout the world, including the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Australia, Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand, among other destinations.

The Nantyr students spent two weeks studying the biodiversity of Costa Rica online, before the trip. Once in the country, they joined several other students learning Costa Rican culture, and exploring the rainforest. They were guided through dense foliage near Puerto de Viejo, and studied various plants, birds, animals and insects.

It was an experience Doherty will always remember.

"Our classroom was right in the middle of the rainforest," she said, while sitting in a Nantyr classroom Monday. "We got to see how different it was down there.

"Their culture is so different; it's very eye opening to see how Third World countries live. We'd wake up every morning to howling monkeys."

Students benefit greatly from the program. Once completing the program, students are granted a credit, which can be applied towards the Ontario Secondary School Curriculum.

"Anybody in Canada can participate. Basically, we give them a university credit for Grade 11 or 12 for this experiential learning. We fill in the curriculum requirements," said Neale. "A lot of it is learning on the road. As long as they can afford to go, they can get a full credit towards high school. These are the first two students from our school that have ever done this."

And students also learn about the importance of protecting valuable natural resources, said Neale.

"It's very independent," he said. "They make sure it's student-centred. Safety comes first, the curriculum is covered and their goal is to give these kids the education they wouldn't get in the classroom. They really focus on student learning."

Dunn says the experience was educational yet enjoyable.

"We saw a lot of forests and trees," she said. "Every hike we went on, we'd find something interesting. You get to explore other cultures and see things you otherwise wouldn't on a regular basis. It was a good experience, but it was hard. You're jamming a whole course into one month."
For more information on the program, call 1-800-798- 2881 or e-mail info@globaljourneys. com