Coalition Plans Service Trip to Costa Rica

Six Coalition students will be participating in a student-run field trip to Costa Rica on Dec. 24 to Dec. 30.  However, due to the time commitment to plan for the trip some Coalition students have decided to not go on the trip.  For example, senior Isabelle Cunningham decided she couldn’t go to Costa Rica because the trip happens to fall between Drill Team Nationals trip to Orlando and the Choir trip to Italy.

“I just couldn’t commit as much time to the trip as I’d wanted to, so I decided that I probably shouldn’t go through with it,” Cunningham said.  “It sounds like a great way to involved outside of our community, but I just had other things around the same time.”

Senior and club board member Kelly Romer organized the whole event. Students will be staying with a host family on a rural farm where they will be helping with their coffee plantation.  

Organizing this event has been no easy process.  Romer had to first research the organization that they will be travelling with, propose the idea to the Coalition board, plan the logistics of the trips (including cost and flights) and organize fundraisers.

“We’ve had bake sales and a GoFundMe,” Romer said.  “And one day when it was raining we had a baked good delivery service.”

Juniors Claire Griffith and Willa Ivancic and senior Amara Ivancic have also dropped the trip due to similar reasons as Cunningham.  Given that some Coalition board members are seniors, they just didn’t have the time to dedicate to fundraising due to college application deadlines.  

Despite four people deciding to not go on the trip last minute, Romer still has a tight-knit group of people going to Costa Rica and is excited to be able to work with them for the week.

“It’ll still be a great experience,” Romer said.  “I’m just excited to be able to get there and help out.”