For most high school students, summer is a few months in which they can lounge by the pool, head to the beach, and catch a break from the business of the school year.  However, some Rocky Mount Academy students utilized their summers to immerse themselves in other cultures all over the world, all the way from the Caribbean islands to the isles of Greece.

Through Rocky Mount Academy’s very own Global Studies program, over twenty middle and high school students travelled below the equator on an ecotourism and service trip to Costa Rica.  Combining philanthropy and leisurely activities, the global studies students spent a good portion of their trip interacting with local children.  Working in an orphanage cleaning and repairing the playground, the group was able to make lasting connections.  Pleasantly surprised at the warm greeting she received in the orphanage, junior Mackenzie Thompson says, “The children of Costa Rica were very friendly and welcoming.  Most of them spoke a little English so communicating with them was easier than I thought it would be.  They were also really interested in American culture and asked us questions about music and dancing.”  The group’s service was not only limited to one project, however, as they also planted trees to replenish the depleted rain forest, picked up trash to reduce pollution, and learned how our actions effect the environment around us.

After the work was done, the Global Studies students were able to experience the natural wonders and see the breathe-taking sights that Costa Rica is famous for.  Fueled by large amounts of rice and beans, the group took several hikes and a zip-line ride through the rain forest.  Along the coast, the group spent a day on the beach, took a catamaran ride, and even got to go snorkeling.

In addition, other Rocky Mount Academy students also spent their summers abroad learning about other cultures, languages, and regions.  Senior Rachel Williams travelled to the Dominican Republic with Rustic Pathways, a travel program that offers trips all over the world.  On her specific trip, Rachel spent two weeks in a remote Dominican village building a wall to protect the school yard.  “Despite the thousands of miles between us and drastic differences in living conditions, I was embraced by the people of the Bateyes, and discovered that we are not all that different.  We laugh, smile, and love in the same way,” expressed Rachel on the culture similarities she encountered on her visit.

Across the Atlantic, junior Lucy Rose and her family spent several weeks in Italy and Greece touring museums, dining in restaurants, and learning about Mediterranean history.  Lucy stated that she particularly enjoyed the relaxed and more intimate lifestyles that the people of Greece and Italy live every day.  Also touring parts of the Mediterranean, sophomore Elizabeth Ann Gibson embarked on a cruise this summer making stops in Italy, Greece, and England.  In other corners of the world, sophomore Lindy Pittman vacationed in South Africa, junior Lindsey Ross journeyed to Nicaragua, and I personally spent four weeks in Laos and Thailand.   Finally, seniors Trevor Graham and Jackson Browder, sophomores Anderson Cobb and Lindy Pittman, and freshman Jacob Watkins participated in a church retreat to our fiftieth state, Alaska.

Regardless whether summer travels took them off the map or to a beach resort, Rocky Mount Academy students were able to interact with other cultures, engage with new friends, and apply lessons learned during the school year on a global level.