Costa Rica Field School

What is sustainability and why is it important? This course connects with local organizations to introduce students to a global experience. Students learn about ecology, small business, sustainable farming, and holistic wellness from local educators and professionals.

Organizations are in San José, Monteverde, and the Nosara Peninsula, and traveling between the sites allows students to explore a diverse range of national landscapes. We start in the Nosara Peninsula with a local Montessori IB High School. Students work collaboratively on a specific area of ecological sustainability: coral reefs, local turtle population, or mangroves. From there we move to the cloud forest zone, Monteverde, to observe this diverse ecological area. In Monteverde, we work with a locally-owned family association that specializes in coffee farming, sustainable agriculture, and environmental education. Finally, we collaborate with a small cooperative that supports women farmers and contributes to sustainability by helping small business owners to sell, market, and distribute coffee in the US marketplace.