What Did You Do on Your Summer Vacation?

For many high school students, a discussion about their summer vacation might lead to a conversation about summer jobs, afternoons relaxing on sun-soaked beaches, or carefree weekends spent with their friends. While many students opted to enjoy the beautiful weather and the opportunity to relax this summer, a group of eighteen Nipmuc students used their vacation as a chance to combine travel, adventure, and community service in a three-week trip that would change their lives.

On July 13, this group of students, accompanied by Nipmuc Spanish teacher Julie Jussaume, departed for Oaxaca, Mexico for the beginning of their journey. Working with World Challenge Expeditions, these students embarked on a trip that not only provided them with a chance to visit another country and to learn about a new culture, but also to develop their skills as leaders and collaborators. With the guidance of Miss Jussaume and the team from World Challenge, our students undertook the responsibility of planning each aspect of their trip. In preparation for their adventure, they organized fundraisers, practiced their wilderness safety skills, and worked to come together as a team.

Early today, I had the chance to meet with these students and Miss Jussaume to learn about their trip, view their pictures, and enjoy their stories. It was wonderful to hear about their activities, including day-long hikes through the rainforest and mountains of Sierra Norte, parades in Oaxaca, festivals in San Cristobal, and swimming with the sharks in Belize. While these experiences may sound glamorous, I learned that their trip provided a series of challenges that tested them on a daily basis. Some of these struggles came from dealing with bugs, snakes, and tarantulas; others came in the form of unrelenting rain, illness, and injury.

Beyond these obstacles, what made this trip an adventure rather than a vacation is the willingness of the team to take on new challenges. As part of their expedition, each student had the opportunity to lead the team for a day. During that time they made all decisions for their group including how to spend their budget, which modes of transportation to use, and how to handle unforeseen complications. They also had to learn to come together as a team and to rely on each other in order to conquer these problems. Whether carrying the pack of an injured friend on a nine hour hike, cheering each other toward a successful river crossing, or keeping the team’s spirits elevated after a pelting rainstorm, they continually found strength to support each other.

In addition, these students spent four days volunteering their time at a water conservation demonstration site outside of Oaxaca. While there, they planted trees, leveled areas for planting, built water filtration systems, cleared dams, and moved compost. On this trip our students abandoned sightseeing and relaxation in favor of discovering ways to make a meaningful connection with the people and places they visited.

When you see the following “World Challengers” please congratulate them on their experience and for being such a great representation of our school and community:
Catherine Adcock, Haley Alexson, Jordan Alexson, Chris Alleman, Matt Annesi, Mike Annesi, Amelia Baynham, Kelsey Campbell, Emily Ciantra, Matt D’Innocenzo, Liam Drennan, Wally Esker, Ethan Fortin, Caitlin Lewis, Fernando Pugleasa, Richie Schofield, Jack Street, and Deanna Valcour

In addition, I’d like to thank Miss Jussaume for continuing to be such a great supporter of this life changing adventure for students. The trip to Mexico marks the fourth time she has guided our students on this type of journey. We can’t wait for the next expedition!