There’s no shortage of excitement when Pro Vita trip destinations are announced each spring. Exotic locales from Argentina to Iceland draw lots of interest from students looking to expand their horizons. But a recent trend indicates that students not only want to see the world, they want to choose the destination and plan the trip, too. 

While Pro Vita has always been a chance for the adults in the community to teach in areas of expertise beyond those in the curriculum, more and more students have wanted to share their own passions as well. Teaching a class brings a new lens onto a student’s field of interest and provides a valuable leadership opportunity. Leading a Pro Vita trip is a natural extension of all the possibilities inherent in Pro Vita. 

This year, students proposed and will lead trips to: Peru, Greece, Morocco, and the Bahamas, twice the number of trips led by students in 2018. The fifth Pro Vita excursion of 2019 is a backpacking trip to the Sonoran Desert in Arizona through NOLS, the National Outdoor Leadership School. 

SERVICE LEARNING & SUSTAINABLE TOURISM IN PERU

Cami Kittredge '19 will help lead a group of students on a service trip to Peru. With help from the student travel company Rustic Pathways, Kittredge has planned a trip for students to explore issues such as clean water, infrastructure, education, and access to public services in rural communities in the Peruvian Andes.

“Two summers ago, I spent 15 days in Peru with a Rustic Pathways program called La Niña Andina,” said Kittredge. “We visited Andean communities and learned about how tourism impacts their weaving industry. After I got home, I decided I wanted to share the experience with the Berkshire community,” she explained. Kittredge hopes the experience will be eye-opening for her fellow travelers. “I hope students will push themselves outside of their comfort zones on this trip.”

GLOBAL LEARNING IN GREECE

Fellow sixth formers Avalon Lebenthal '19 and Kat Erazo '19 will lead a trip to Greece to study the refugee crisis there. Through an itinerary planned with Atlas Workshops, students will travel to Athens and Lesvos to work with local experts, organizations, and migrants to gain a better understanding of the migration crisis from its epicenter. 

“I have always been fascinated by Greece, and I find the culture, landscape, architecture, and, of course, mythology incredibly interesting,” explained Lebenthal. “Kat and I decided a Pro Vita trip could be the perfect way to learn more about a topic that interests us, and visit a country that intrigues us both as well.”

“I think that the refugee crisis is a current events issue that we need to take time to learn about,” she said. “I hope that this trip allows us to do so and bring information back to Berkshire.”

“Immigration has always been a topic that has interested me and is very personal,” explained Erazo. “I am a first-generation American. My parents emigrated from Honduras to the United States in their early twenties because of political instability and extortion, and above all, Hurricane Mitch. As a daughter of immigrant parents, I believe that it is necessary to hear and see the narratives and stories of others, in order to understand the world around us,” she said. 

CULTURE AND SERVICE IN MOROCCO

While the trips are sure to offer memorable, hands-on learning experiences, lessons learned begin well before the journey itself. Students work with faculty chaperones and the partner travel company to help plan the trip and organize the many details involved in putting together an international excursion. 

“I've learned the planning process requires a ton of dedication and communication skills in order to have everything you need set before deadlines,” said Victoria Rowland '20, who is leading a trip to Morocco with classmate Michelle Wang '20. 

Also organized by Rustic Pathways, in this trip students will travel to the Atlas Mountains to work with villagers on service initiatives before spending time in the city of Marrakech exploring souqs, mosques, and museums as a way to understand Morocco’s rich history of religion and arts. 

“Last summer I went to Morocco with my family and was stunned by the unique art there. It made me curious about how Moroccan art can be interpreted as a means of cultural expression,” Wang said. “I hope our trip helps raise awareness of cultural diversity and that we can spread that awareness within our community.”

“Planning the trip has been crucially time consuming,” explained Rowland in summary, “but in the end it should definitely be worth it. 

SUSTAINABLE LIVING AT THE ISLAND SCHOOL

Martine Lavelle '19 and Annie McGill '19, two alumnae from the Island School’s semester program, are leading a trip back to the school in Eleuthera, Bahamas. Designed in conjunction with Island School teachers, this trip will focus on living and learning in a sustainable environment, on a microscale in Eleuthera. 

“Living completely sustainably in a small community creates a sense of family and loyalty to each person ... there are no backup plans or other resources to rely on,” said Lavelle. “Annie and I created each day, each site, each morning exercise with purpose and authenticity. We wanted to replicate the true experience of the Island School, one of the most meaningful and transformative experiences that I have had.”

McGill had a similar hope for the outcome. “My goal is for students to come back with a better sense of how to live well in a place: sustainably, socially, and even culturally,” she said. “Being able to step out of your comfort zone and take risks is hugely important to me and oftentimes transformational to one’s character.”

With so many worthwhile goals to accomplish in so many amazing places, the Pro Vita trips of 2019 are sure to be impactful for the travelers as well as the leaders who planned them.