Junior Class Headed to Ecuador

For the first two weeks in February, the whole 11^th grade class from Compass School will travel to Ecuador for a week of cultural immersion, service, and direct experience with issues of social justice. Having studied a variety of issues around economic development, immigration, relations between indigenous populations and colonial powers, and the effects of globalization on individual lives, the 17 students in this class are ready to learn about these issues first hand.

Along with teacher leaders Amir Flesher, Beth White, and Liz Jackson, the students will be living in 3 different communities in Ecuador—one working along with indigenous people on an organic farm, then traveling on local busses to a crafts community, and finally trekking overnight to an isolated third community with a subsistence economy. In each community, the students will be doing family stays and service, living and learning with the local population. In May, as part of the Compass Spring trip, these same students will meet with Ecuadorians from this same region who have emigrated to the US and are living in New York City.  

Compass’ “Global Connections Program” continues the school’s award winning educational program that truly transform student lives and makes a difference in our community and with our international partners. The depth of this experience, from increased connections with the wide range of perspectives beyond our borders, to reflections in journals and an on-line blog, to presentations throughout this area, extends the opportunities to make this tremendously meaningful for our students and to have a broader impact on international understanding in the community as a whole.

The Global Connections Program gives students direct experience on issues of economic inequality as students live with families from some of the poorest communities in the Americas to learn along with their hosts about universal values of people’s lives and the various circumstances that shape individual’s life choices. By involving the whole junior class, the program is directly embedded in the academic curriculum, thereby greatly enhancing the educational impact of the travel experience. Another goal of this travel program is to increase “international IQ” in our rural area by having these students do public education programs at schools and public venues in this community upon their return.

Compass believes this international perspective is essential to preparing youth for life in the increasingly global community in which we all live. The Global Connections Program provides a model for cross-cultural programs that could be accessible for all students in any school—low-cost, learning-centered, open to diverse perspectives, deeply immersed in culture and language, building partnerships, giving back to communities, and developing positive relations among youth. For more information on this program or to inquire about a presentation by these students following their travels, please contact Nelson Richter, Executive Director at Compass, 802-463-2525 or nelson@compass-school.org.