A fun and valuable program!

I went on GLA's Beachside Service Adventure trip last summer and the program was amazing. Our main activity was volunteering at a local school in La Cruz, Costa Rica where we taught English, arts and crafts, and games to young children. That experience alone was worth the trip as it was so rewarding. The kids at the school were so excited and grateful for the activities we did with them - they were even happy for a seemingly simple piece of paper and crayons to draw with since they did not have those things at home. It certainly brought things into perspective.
In addition to the volunteering aspect, I had such a great time bonding with the other teenagers on my trip. I formed friendships with people from several different states. It was fun to get to know everyone at our comfortable home base and on the bus to our different excursions - hiking volcano craters, ziplining, horseback riding, tubing.
GLA's staff was also super supportive, and their enthusiasm and fun personalities just added to an already great experience!