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American Academy

Grade 8 - STEM Costa Rica

2024-2025 8th GRADE COSTA STEM TRIP
TENTATIVE TRIP DATES

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

(INCLUDING DATES OF PARENT INFORMATIONAL MEETINGS)		 PARENT INFORMATIONAL MEETINGS

February 2025

(The focus of this trip will not change, despite the move from September to February.) 		Late August 2024 September 2024

Eighth graders take on sea-turtle-saving, whale-watching, rainforest-hiking, conservation awesomeness!

On this trip of a lifetime, American Academy eighth grade students will travel to Costa Rica to learn about and participate in some of the on-going conservation efforts so important to preserving marine and rain forest ecology in Costa Rica. The goal of this STEM trip is to put students to work with real conservationists and researchers, and give them the experience of working “in the field.”


Itinerary

Below is a typical trip itinerary. Schedule and activities are subject to change based on local weather and water conditions.
 
Day 1 - Fly from Denver to San Jose, Costa Rica
 
Day 2 - Travel from Osa Peninsula to Playa Blanca - Arrive at the Latin American Sea Turtles Association (L.A.S.T.) conservation station
 
Day 3-4 - L.A.S.T. in Playa Blanca - hands-on participation with in-water sea turtle conservation and mangrove preservation efforts
 
Day 5 - Travel by land to the town of Sierpe, and take a boat transfer to the Campanario Biological Station - enjoy wildlife viewing on the Sierpe River, take an afternoon rainforest hike, and partake in an evening lecture
 
Day 6 - Campanario Biological Station - experience whale watching and learn to use photo identification methods for identifying individual whales in Drake Bay
 
Day 7 - Travel by boat from Campanario to Sierpe, and travel by land to San Jose - while travelling, enjoy wildlife viewing and use newly learned identification skills along the way
 
Day 8 - Fly to Denver
 

Estimated Cost

$3315.00/student

The trip fee covers all student travel expenses including airfare, and is NON-REFUNDABLE. Trip fees may vary from year to year depending on the cost of transportation and lodging, programming, and student participation.
 

Estimated Time of Travel

February 22, 2025 - March 1, 2025
 

Contact

Chris Todd, STEM Trip Coordinator
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TRIP PRESENTATIONS
It is a requirement for one parent/guardian to attend a trip presentation meeting to qualify for advancement in the trip registration process and for your child(ren) to attend the trip. Please see the list below of presentation meetings that are being offered for the 24-25 school year trip.
DATE TIME LOCATION
Monday, September 16th 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM Castle Pines Cafeteria
Tuesday, September 24th 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM Motsenbocker Cafeteria
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ADDITIONAL RESOURCES