Earlier in the year, many of the students on the trip had taken part in my video-making mini-course. A lucky event greeted our first day of class. Some reporters from Repretel’s Channel 6 were on campus filming a short piece about Monteverde. Despite our initial hesitations, we went outside and began to chat with them about their equipment. The reporters gave the students a chance to hold their portable video camera. They also invited us to visit the Channel 6 studio in San José.
A few weeks later, after a couple fund-raising bake sales, we headed off to San José. Before visiting the studios, however, we stopped off at INBio, the National Institute of Biodiversity. There, MFS teacher Heather Gosse helped the students put on their research caps and experience first-hand how biologists are studying and preserving Costa Rica’s natural heritage. We then headed over to Repretel to tour the studios and editing rooms. It was fascinating to see how a television station works. Since Repretel also houses Radio Disney, we were invited to join a DJ as she delivered her morning program.
Field trips such as this one form a great part of the learning experience here at the Monteverde Friends School. They present a wonderful opportunity for students to get to know each other while also learning a thing or two. The students thoroughly enjoyed the trip and it was a great lesson for them in connecting with people and asking important questions that can lead to amazing experiences.