By Kristen Sorton and Aisha Hassel
On January 18, 15 of St. Dominic High School's senior International Baccalaureate (IB) students and three mentors departed Princess Juliana International Airport en route to San Juan, Puerto Rico. The class trip was organized by the business and management class that had worked diligently over the past year running the school canteen. The students gained useful corporate skills while creating a business in the business and management curriculum where the students wrote up a business plan and handled the financial, marketing and logistic matters of the canteen. A portion of the generated funds went towards the school's student government department to fund various extra curriculum activities within the school. The remaining funds along with some generous donations from various businesses on the island funded the educational class trip.
IB encourages international-mindedness both inside and outside of the classroom; therefore, the students decided to take their learning to Puerto Rico where they completed various assignments in biology, business and management, physics and history, while putting in a whole day for some community service. During the group's stay in Puerto Rico, the 15 students and three teachers had the experience of staying at The Palace Hostel. They shared the amenities with six other travellers from around the world and were surprised to find out that one of the travellers was a former IB student in the US. Each morning, after rising early to get ready and have breakfast, they boarded the bus that would take them to their destination for the day.
On the first day, after a long bus ride, they arrived at El Yunque Tropical rainforest, the only tropical rainforest in the United States. Here, the biology students had to carry out an experiment they themselves had planned and designed the week before coming to Puerto Rico. This experiment would be later written up and presented to their biology teacher upon return to school as one of their Internal Assessments. Searching for the perfect areas to carry out the experiment, the students marvelled at the beauty of the rainforest, a site most of the group was witnessing for the first time.
As girls dominated the class, occasional screams and exasperations spread throughout the rainforest, as they encountered insects and other animals native to the rainforest. The students covered two areas of the vast forest in order to have a variety in their samples which required a lot of hiking in many parts. After four hours in the forest, the exhausted students boarded the bus again for the long ride back home, enjoying the scenery and beautiful cascades on their way down.
In the evening, the students were privileged to attend a seminar on human trafficking in Puerto Rico. The words of Dr. César Rey, leader of "Trafficking in Persons in Puerto Rico: An Invisible Challenge", inspired much discussion amongst both students and teachers. The lecture was informative and astounding. Many non-government organizations were well represented, many of whom were individuals who took up the initiative to help many of the children in Puerto Rico. For more information on the project, you can visit: www.rickymartinfoundation.org .
The following morning, group members had another early start to their day of history and science. The first stop was the Arecibo Lighthouse and Historical Park, where they were taken back in time. The park was creatively set up with replicas of the Taino villages, three of Christopher Columbus' ships, and a pirate walk-through cave and aquarium; all recreating Puerto Rico's history.
However, the lighthouse and its view of the northern Atlantic Ocean (part of which is in the Bermuda triangle) was magnificent and absolutely beautiful. Inside the lighthouse was a museum with antique furniture and displays of the lighthouse treasures and documents. After the lighthouse, the group visited the Arecibo Observatory, the location of the world's largest single-dish radio telescope. Built strategically in a natural sinkhole, the observatory is recognized as one of the most important national centres for research in radio astronomy, planetary radar and terrestrial aeronomy.
The large dish was even featured in the 1995 James Bond film, Golden Eye. The massive machine captivated the students, the science enthusiasts especially. Inside the Visitor's Center was a plethora of displays of space and different elements of science, many of which were interactive and educational, including a moving miniature version of the radio telescope. The day ended with a visit to beautiful Old San Juan, which captivated many of the history students with the beautiful Spanish architecture and charming character.
The pinnacle of the trip was on Saturday morning, and even though it was sinful waking up so early on a weekend, the group was eager to start the day dedicated to business and management. The group visited the famous Bacardi Factory and learned about the rich history of the family-run business, how they produced their rums, and even how the bat earned its spot as the Bacardi trademark. Bacardi is the largest privately-owned spirits producer in the world and produces 200 million bottles annually.
The Bacardi family from all over the world will be returning to Puerto Rico in February to celebrate the company's 150th anniversary. After the Bacardi Factory, the group visited Plaza Las Americas – the highlight for many. However, the Business and Management students were given handouts with questions that involved much observation about the various businesses and their marketing techniques, an analysis of the layout of the mall and why certain stores were located in certain places. With a mall so expansive and only four hours to spend, many found balancing shopping and the assignment a task, but after walking the whole mall at least once, the students were well off with their assignment.
Sunday morning was thankfully not a very early morning. It was dedicated towards the students' community service requirement for their diploma. Students and mentors gave a hand at Puerto Rico's Young Women Christian Association (YWCA). With the building located less than five minutes away from the hostel, the students walked to the centre. They were split into groups and did work around the grounds. The work entailed cleaning the yard, repainting the basketball court and hopscotch, and cleaning tables, chairs and computers inside the building. Doing the work together was fun and rewarding for all. "It feels great to give back to the community in this way," one of the students mentioned. The representatives of YWCA were really appreciative and happy to have the help and the group thanked them for the opportunity to give back.
As it was the last day in Puerto Rico, after the community service, the group returned to the hostel for a much deserved rest. The group met up in Old San Juan later that evening to partake in a group dinner. When the students returned home, they started to pack up their bags for departure the following morning. Leaving Puerto Rico was saddening for some and quite the opposite for others. "I just want to lie in my own bed now!" one student exclaimed. The trip was a delightful experience and the students have grown in different ways. The senior IB class of St. Dominic High School would like to extend thanks to the sponsors that helped finance their trip.