This past summer, Hawai‘i educators Jonathon Medeiros of Kaua‘i High School and Laura Cummings of Kaʻōhao Public Charter School participated in an inspiring field study in Costa Rica as part of the NEA Foundation’s Global Learning Fellowship. The field study abroad was the culmination of a year-long professional collaboration with about 50 outstanding educators from across the United States.

Costa Rica was an ideal focus and location for this global learning field study for many reasons. The country provides universal education and healthcare, has set aside 35% of its land as protected areas (much of which is managed as national park lands), and 98% of Costa Rica’s energy consumption comes from renewable energy. It is also home to one of the world’s five Blue Zones and the UN-established University for Peace.

While in Costa Rica, the NEA Foundation Global Learning Fellows were immersed in the local culture. They explored the country’s public education system, visiting schools and education institutions. They had the opportunity to meet with Costa Rican students, teachers, and administrators to better understand shared challenges and innovative approaches. The two Hawai‘i educators were also able to share their own experiences, projects, and strategies with each other and the rest of the educators.

Each fellow completed a capstone project applying learning and ideas from the coursework, webinar discussions, and field study—all aimed at answering the question: “How do we create global experiences in our classrooms?” These final learning products, centered around their own students’ needs and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, will be shared online by the NEA Foundation.

For more information about the fellowship or application process, visit the NEA Foundation’s Global Learning Fellowship site. For more questions about global education in Hawai‘i or to collaborate, please contact:Jonathon.Medeiros@k12.hi.us or Cummings at LCummings@kaohaoschool.org.

NEA Foundation participants at Arenal Volcano National Park, Costa Rica. Photo by tour guide Patricia Alfaro.

Laura Cummings, Jonathon Medeiros, and high school students who took them on a tour of their school, Colegio Tecnico Profesional De Puriscal. Photo by Laura Cummings.