TESTIMONIALS
TESTIMONIALS
 Group at forest wide screen |  participants hiking wide screen |  Participants posing wide screen |  Mural |  View through windows wide screen |  Buildings wide screen |
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 Forest view from above wide screen |  Classroom with students wide screen |  Michelle wide screen |  View of city wide screen |
PUERTO RICO
TBA
HAPPY CLASSROOMS!
PUERTO RICO:
Caribbean Adventure
in the Land of Resilience
This program focuses on the following components of happiness: Peace and belonging.
Puerto Rico has recently been through a devastating hurricane, an earthquake, and is now dealing with the pandemic together with the rest of the world. Many schools are still dealing with the aftermath of the first two.
We invite you to join GEA to hear the stories of resilience amid the recent catastrophes and be inspired by how Puerto Rican educators have navigated these changes. Participants will have opportunities to have conversations with fellow educators about how to work in less than ideal situations, support each other as educators, and to work towards better social-emotional health in the school environment and beyond.
We will also learn about STEM projects done through public-private partnerships that celebrate the island's ecological diversity and sustainability.
SEE THE PROGRAM FLYER ABOVE AND THE VIDEO OF OUR PILOT PROGRAM IN PUERTO RICO IN 2021
Note: Itinerary details may still change
PROGRAM INFO
MAIN PROGRAM
Educators and guests will work directly with Puerto Rican educators in establishing lasting partnerships with local schools and local organizations, while also discovering the rich history and culture of this part of the Caribbean.
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Experience the rich history and landscape of Puerto Rico
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Learn about STEM projects done through public-private partnerships that highlight sustainability and the island’s ecological diversity
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Hear the stories of resilience amid Puerto Rico’s recent catastrophes and have conversations with fellow educators about how support each other as educators to work towards better social-emotional health in the school environment and beyond
CULTURAL HIGHLIGHTS
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Sea kayak adventure over a bioluminescent lagoon
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Hike in the El Younque tropical rainforest
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Visit with the famous Casa Pueblo community project
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Tour of the historical San Juan
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Visit to the Cerrales castle in Ponce (and rum distillery)
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Food tour of Caribbean delicacies
THE BEACHSIDE PRE-TRIP
Come join other educators on a post-school year retreat by the Caribbean coast. Enjoy good food in good company as well snorkeling and some optional (add-on) beach side activities including paddle boarding and sailing - or just take advantage of the beach, sun and sea breeze.
DETAILS
WHO
All interested educators and administrators are encouraged to apply. Non-educator guests will be considered based on availability. An additional fee of $150 for non-educators will be charged to cover additional expenses.
WHEN
TBA
WHERE
Various communities in Puerto Rico (San Juan, Ponce, Naranjito, Adjuntas, Fajardo)
PRICE
Main program = $TBA
Beach decompress pre-trip = $TBA
Total price for both = $TBA
WHAT’S INCLUDED
Shared accommodations, most meals and program activities (including sightseeing and entrance fees), local transportation.
WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED
International airfare, airport transportation to and from our meeting and ending locations, some meals, travel insurance, add-on or upgrade options that may be selected or any covid-related testing costs.
APPLICATION TIMELINE
Priority consideration: January 15st
Final deadline: February 15th (if spaces are still available)
Zoom interviews will be held through late February and all selection decisions will be made by March 1st. A program deposit of $250 (refundable in case of Covid) will be due within one week of acceptance for the main program and $50 for the pre-trip. Program balance must be paid in full by May 1st.
NOTE: Puerto Rico is a US territory and does not require passports for travel
Learn more about travel grants available to teachers!
Program Staff
GLENDA LOZADA
Elementary school teacher from Naranjito, Puerto Rico
AINO LARSEN
GEA Director
JESSI LOFGREN
GEA Teacher Fellow
FRANCES RIVERA M.Ed.
Assistant Principal at Ernie Pyle Elementary School in Florida
Program Resources and Continuing Education Credits
The following resources are provided as suggestions for you to explore prior to the program. Watching and/or reading through as many of these as possible will make our discussions, both formal and informal, more extensive and meaningful. We ask that all participants dedicate a minimum of 5 hours to studying these resources. The GEA certificate of completion will recognize these hours towards your continuing education credits. The amount of continuing education credits you receive differs from program to program, with 30 being average for full program participation.
This list is not exhaustive. This is meant as a first stop for some background knowledge of the countries, cultures and classrooms we will be visiting. These resources will provide background knowledge towards our guided inquiry-based discussions (see above for questions for dialogue). Upon the program's conclusion, we will be sharing a folder with some practical tools, resources and lesson plans for your use. If you have something to add, GEA welcomes your ideas.
For more information about our reflective journal during our experiential travel, please visit the curriculum page.
The following resources are provided as suggestions for you to explore prior to the program. Watching and/or reading through as many of these as possible will make our discussions, both formal and informal, more extensive and meaningful. We ask that all participants dedicate a minimum of 5 hours to studying these resources. The GEA certificate of completion will recognize these hours towards your continuing education credits. The amount of continuing education credits you receive differs from program to program, with 30 being average for full program participation.
This list is not exhaustive. This is meant as a first stop for some background knowledge of the countries, cultures and classrooms we will be visiting. These resources will provide background knowledge towards our guided inquiry-based discussions (see above for questions for dialogue). Upon the program's conclusion, we will be sharing a folder with some practical tools, resources and lesson plans for your use. If you have something to add, GEA welcomes your ideas.
For more information about our reflective journal during our experiential travel, please visit the curriculum page.
Health and safety
It is GEA’s goal to always navigate our programs safely and comfortably with our participants and partners in mind. We believe the benefits of travel outweigh the discomfort and possible uncertainty of travel, and also that they can often be appropriately managed. GEA will be doing everything to help our participants feel secure and comfortable. There are also many ways you can personally manage a safe and happy travel experience and GEA will help remind you along the way.