Study Abroad in Costa Rica

Speaking only Spanish, taking classes, exploring new ecological treasures, meeting new people, eating new foods and living with an affectionate, caring family are only a few of the highlights to this great experience. It is more than a trip. It is the opportunity of a lifetime! Please contact me if you want this opportunity for your child. ( JWoerner@smadison.k12.in.us )

6 students are enrolled and already fund-raising. Only about 30 spots remaining. Schools will be setting up evening presentations very soon. If you don’t see your school on the schedule, please contact me directly. I will be happy to go through all of the details with you individually and send you the application! 

Well, we are getting ready for orientation for the 2008 group, but we are signing kids up for the 2009 trip as well. ILASO has agreed to let us maintain the 2008 price as long as kids have their deposits paid by August 31st, 2008. So, we are doing some fundraising in Pendleton (which your students are welcome to be a part of) and we have opened the application process to the students who will be eligible in July, 2009! For more information, please send me an e-mail at JWoerner@smadison.k12.in.us. Thanks!!!

Applications have been rolling in and more are on their way for July 2008. Any eligible student is welcome to join us on this trip until we reach our max number of students (40) or until April 30th. (An eligible student is any student who will have completed Spanish II by May 2008, is in good standing at their school, will have a positive reference from their Spanish teacher and be willing to commit to 4 weeks of speaking only Spanish!) After January 1st, 2008 airfare costs and getting booked on the same flight as the group can’t be guaranteed but I’ll do everything I can to work it out for you! We have students coming from all parts of Indiana (from Gary to Lawrenceburg)!

Don’t forget to apply for your passport in January or as soon as you can! Immunizations should be started right away as well! If you have any questions or would like to be a part of such an exciting and life-changing trip, please contact me at JWoerner@smadison.k12.in.us or feel free to post your questions/comments on this site.

Well, the presentations are in full swing and a lot of parents and students are having conversations about if they are both ready for this experience. Students, let me tell you that you will never forget this experience and it will be one of the most enriching and exciting of your life. It also happens to look great on a college application and gives you a great essay topic for scholarship essays! Parents, I know that it is an investment and that you probably have reservations about someone else being called “Mom” for the month, but you will providing an incredible opportunity to your student and they will thank you when they come home!

Once you have been to a presentation or in case you couldn’t make it to one, feel free to ask any questions through this site! There will be someone out there who can give you the answer you need whether that be a previous parent or student or myself. The program is limited to 40 students this year and the initial deposit and application are due by December 15th, 2007. Feel free to simply put those items in the mail to me directly at Pendleton Heights High School, Attn: Jill Woerner, One Arabian Drive, Pendleton, IN 46064. I am looking forward to a dynamic exciting group to share in all of these great adventures! If you have any questions that you would rather send to me directly, please e-mail me at JWoerner@smadison.k12.in.us .

Wow - 25 students, 2 teachers (still smiling) and thousands of remarkable photos to prove that the July 2007 program was a huge success! The students worked hard, spoke a lot of Spanish and ate a lot of rice and beans!! They came home with suitcases over 50 pounds (shh, don’t tell the airline), lots of stories and a spot in their hearts reserved only for their host families. Although many students were ready to come home for some of their favorite American foods and to see their families, they weren’t quite ready to leave the beautiful sights that they began to expect in such an amazing country. For the 2007 group (parents & students), please post your comments here and for anyone considering such an exciting adventure for their students or their own children, please read the BLOG and feel free to post any questions!

Estudiantes - ¡Respondan por favor a esas preguntas para presentarse al grupo!

¿Cómo te llamas?

¿Cuántos años tienes?

¿A qué escuela asistes?

¿Qué piensas que va a ser tu experiencia favorita en Costa Rica este verano?

¿Qué quieres saber de los otros chicos que van con nosotros este año?

2006 Parents - I would like those who have had a student return from this program to post any information that they think would be useful for all of those parents about to send their student in July 2007.

2007 Parents - Please feel free to post any questions that you may have about the program and either one of the other parents or myself will certainly respond!

I would love for all of the students who attended the Costa Rica study abroad program in July 2006 to upload their favorite memory &/or photo.

I would like to welcome all of individuals who have already experienced the Costa Rica study abroad program and all of those students/parents who are looking forward to the experience in July 2007!