Indiegogo is committed to accessibility. If you have difficulty using our site, please contact support@indiegogo.com for assistance or view our accessibility notice by clicking here

This campaign is closed

Global Classroom Project: Costa Rica Immersion

Empower teens to EARN a service and immersion trip abroad while making a difference along the way.

Closed
Closed
Closed
Closed
Closed

Global Classroom Project: Costa Rica Immersion

Global Classroom Project: Costa Rica Immersion

Global Classroom Project: Costa Rica Immersion

Global Classroom Project: Costa Rica Immersion

Global Classroom Project: Costa Rica Immersion

Empower teens to EARN a service and immersion trip abroad while making a difference along the way.

Empower teens to EARN a service and immersion trip abroad while making a difference along the way.

Empower teens to EARN a service and immersion trip abroad while making a difference along the way.

Empower teens to EARN a service and immersion trip abroad while making a difference along the way.

Lauren Cofone
Lauren Cofone
Lauren Cofone
Lauren Cofone
1 Campaign |
Philadelphia, United States
$1,671 USD 29 backers
22% of $7,500 Flexible Goal Flexible Goal

This summer two Philadelphia public high schools, Hill Freedman World Academy and Parkway NW High School for Peace and Social Justice, are partnering with the Global Classroom Project which empowers teens to earn an international service and immersion trip abroad while providing opportunities to give back locally and internationally.  Through this partnership 10 students and two teachers will travel to and live in Barrio San Rafael in Turrialba, Costa Rica. We will  live with local families, complete a service-learning project, and participate in excursions to immerse ourselves in Tico culture.

This is more than just a trip. This experience is teaching us to see the world differently. We are focusing on how we can use our unique talents to make the world a better place. We have learned so far, it starts by building community.

This past year we have been hard at work creating ethical "micro-business", participating in community service, and fundraising through the idea that The Give is the Get. We aim to give back to others through our fundraising efforts and service. For example, we have been dubbed the Gardening Angels for our raking, clean-up and seasonal yard work. One student's chocolate covered pretzel business, Power Rods, intends to address hunger issues and do right by the community by investing time, energy and effort into service learning. Another student is promoting his Kids in Sports Stay Out of Courts campaign.

We have learned about Fair Trade through our coffee and chocolate sales, micro lending through our loans on Kiva.org, and real world entrepreneurial skills in workshops, at craft fairs, and through trial and error with our own endeavors.

Risks & Challenges

We have faced obstacles along the way. Not all of our businesses got off the ground, some events had small numbers turn out, and juggling school and our hard work is a crash course in scheduling.
However, we have pulled together as a team to meet these challenges. One of the biggest challenges that we are facing right now is  the movement of our trip from the end of August to June. We have step up  our fundraising but we want to ensure that ALL team members will be covered and not miss out on this amazing opportunity.  Not every student has a huge network, no matter how hard she works.
We can become that network. So we are currently asking you our community of friends and family for financial sponsorship to help raise cost of the trip. I fundraising goal is $7,000. We understand that not everyone can contribute but you can still help by getting the word out and making some noise about our campaign!
Share this link. Call out your friends.  
What We Need & What You Get

Break down: Total Cost of 2 teachers and 10 students $27,500

Current: Almost $20,000

Fundraising goal: $7,500

Students will travel to the small mountain barrio in Turrialba, Costa Rica. Once there, students will live with Costa Rican families, work on a service project identified by the Tico community, and be immersed in a culture far removed from their own Philadelphia neighborhood. We take our students there because we believe that through service, immersion, and exchange students broaden their minds--and it is such minds that are limitless and innovative.  

We need $2500 per student...let's break it down:

$15 funds one day of service (supplies needed to renovate an elementary school!)

$35 funds one day of meals in Costa Rica 

$100 funds a day homestay with a Tico family

$165 funds full day in Costa Rica

But really, ANY dollar amount would be HOORAYED AND CHEERED! 

The Impact

You donation is critical and your impact is exponential:

  • Earning the trip is key. Anything worth doing ... is worth working for. 
  • The service and immersion trip is a feather in students' caps for "college readiness". But we call this process, "Life readiness". Dream. Plan. Do.
  • Seven trips have brought over 50 students abroad with 2/3 of them traveling again, 2/3 doing increased service locally and abroad, and multiple International Studies majors in college.
  • Less than 50% of Americans have passports, 100% of the GCP students have passports and can now see the world differently.
  • Traveling and service stay with students impacting their life's trajectory increasing probability for high school graduation, attendance in college, and ability to gain employment. It puts education in context
  • Most of all, increased happiness, empathy, and agency.
Looking for more information? Check the project FAQ
Need more information
Let us know if you think this campaign contains prohibited content.

Choose your Perk

Pay It Forward Picnic

$25 USD
Your donation is good for two tickets to our first annual Pay It Forward Picnic. We love a fiesta. We love building community. We love music, food, and fun. And we really love lighting that flame for others. The Pay It Forward Picnic invites past, current and future GCP participants, families and friends to see off the group going this summer and pay to forward jump starting the fundraising for our next groups. Ancient Wisdom: Anything you want in life , you must do for others first.
Estimated Shipping
June 2015
0 claimed

Local Cuisine

$35 USD
This donation pays for a day of Tico meals. Our homestay mothers cook every meal for the students and the students eat with the families. This is the typical bonding time for our students and families. Your donation will get a personal shout out on Facebook as we cook with our homestay mamas and eat with our Tico families.
Estimated Shipping
June 2015
1 claimed

Edupreneurs 101

$45 USD
This donation supports our entrepreneurs and their businesses. We invest in teen businesses, create businesses and teach teens the skills and mindset for entrepreneurship. From greeting cards to chocolate dipped pretzels and kids sport programs to gardening work the students EARN their trip. For your donation, you will receive a #Card made by Mural Arts Youth Shop students. Our GCP students will share a business jedi mind trick with you inside the card.
Estimated Shipping
July 2015
0 out of 30 of claimed

Wake Up and Smell the Coffee

$50 USD
This perk perks up you and the students. Your donation pays for the organic farm visit and coffee picking. Students spend the day at a farm learning the ins and out of running a farm and living off of the land. Student plant tress for reforestation and pick coffee cherries. You will receive a bag of Pound for Pound freshly roasted coffee beans that students helped roast here in Philly. Coffee helped us learn about the impact our daily choices have on people around the world.
3 out of 25 of claimed

Walk in the Park

$75 USD
One of our teachers is donating her Phillies season tickets to one game because she will be in Costa Rica with her students. With your donation, you pay for our day in Guayabo National Park. Our day of hiking and history of past civilizations is your day at the park. Two sweet seats parking pass. With only 10 possible donations at $75, you have a one in 10 chance (or better) at these tickets. You will go into a raffle. One winner will get the tix. Ten kids will win too. Thanks.
Estimated Shipping
June 2015
1 out of 10 of claimed

Home Sweet Home

$100 USD
Your donation supports the homestay and cultural immersion for one day for one student. Cooking classes, dance classes, English classes, farmers market and accommodations are all a part of the experience of immersion. Your donations support the Barrio San Rafael and the families that are welcoming our students into their homes and sharing their lives. You will receive a Costa Rican recipe, Pound for Pound bag of coffee to give you a taste for immersion, and a T-shirt of your choice. See Gallery
2 out of 20 of claimed
Up Caret