COSTA RICA
MIDDLE SCHOOL SERVICE ADVENTURE
Embark on an unforgettable summer experience full of service and adventure, designed intentionally for middle school students. Work on community development projects that benefit Costa Rican youth and sustainability goals and make memories with new friends that you'll never forget!
Program Overview
On this adventure, students will focus on a number of causes, working on Community Development and Youth & Education projects. Get ready to volunteer on projects benefitting local communities and Costa Rican youth on this well-rounded program. No trip to Costa Rica would be complete without adventure! Students will participate in exciting activities like ziplining, hiking, a day at the beach and cultural activities like an insightful chocolate tour.
On GLA’s Costa Rica: Middle School Service Adventure program you will:
- Zipline through the beautiful landscapes of Costa Rica
- Spot birds, reptiles, and other animals in the country’s Central Valley
- Experience a mini food tour and taste the flavors of Costa Rica!
- Go on a chocolate tour guided by a local chocolate expert
- Enjoy a day at one of Costa Rica’s picturesque beaches
Program Menu
COSTA RICA
MIDDLE SCHOOL SERVICE ADVENTURE
Sample Itinerary
Let’s take a sneak peek at what your program experience might look like this summer! Please note that the order of activities may differ for each program session. The details provided here represent a general outline of what you can anticipate, though community service projects and activities are subject to change based on the needs of our local community partners, cultural celebrations and traditions, weather conditions and the specific requirements of the student group.
Day 1: Welcome to Costa Rica!
Fly into San José, the capital of Costa Rica, where GLA staff will welcome you and take you to our family-run Home Base in the province of Alajuela. Unwind after your journey, take a guided walk around town, and enjoy a welcome orientation and dinner.
*Please note that community service is done at local schools, so can only happen on weekdays. The order of the itinerary will change from session to session, depending on the days of the week we are able to do service.
Day 2: Travel to Service Community
Finish orientation and safety training, then travel to your Home Base near San Carlos, meet your hosts, get acquainted with the property, complete swim tests, and enjoy an afternoon on the lake with paddleboarding or kayaking.
Day 3: Service & Cultural Activities
Begin community service at a local school or center, improving infrastructure and supporting students, then learn Tico Spanish and visit a sustainable pineapple farm to see ethical farming in action. In the evening, enjoy a dance lesson exploring Costa Rica’s popular styles like salsa, merengue, and cumbia.
Day 4: La Fortuna Adventure Day: Chocolate Tour, Waterfall Hike & Hot Springs
Travel to La Fortuna for a chocolate-making tour, a rainforest hike to a stunning waterfall where you can swim, and a relaxing afternoon soaking in natural hot springs beneath the Arenal Volcano.
Days 5-6: Community Service
Continue service projects at local schools, improving learning spaces and connecting with children through games and activities. In the evenings, take part in leadership workshops that build teamwork and explore global issues like access to education.
Day 7: Return to the City
Head back to your original Home Base for the final days of the program, exploring local markets, tasting tropical fruits, and visiting a tortillerÃa to sample fresh handmade tortillas before wrapping up the day with mentor group reflections and evening activities.
Day 8: Adventure Day
In the morning we’ll head out for a day of exciting activities! First, ziplining through the rainforest on ten different cables and fifteen platforms. Next, we’ll embark upon our second rainforest hike of the program and visit a butterfly garden. Finally, foray even higher into the sky on an aerial tram ride above the rainforest.
Day 9: Service, Waterfall Hike & Souvenirs
On our final day of service, wrap up the projects you’ve been working on and say farewell to the friends you’ve made at your service sites. Spend the afternoon enjoying a waterfall hike and then have the chance to buy souvenirs from local artisans. Later, the final Mentor groups and then a farewell dinner to celebrate your time in Costa Rica!
Day 10: Departure
It’s time to say goodbye—or hopefully, hasta luego!—to Home Base and your program staff. Your GLA staff will assist with check-in and remain with your group until you’ve crossed successfully through airport security.
Program Map
COSTA RICA
MIDDLE SCHOOL SERVICE ADVENTURE
Community Service
Make a difference in the lives of Costa Rican youth. Empower local children through your volunteer work with schools. Help with school refurbishment and beautification projects and participate in cross-cultural exchange with students from the nearby towns.
Hands-on Learning
Experience true Costa Rican culture while living and learning in your new community. Connect with the local people, taste delicious fruits and visit a market. Dive into topics about community development and children’s access to education. You’ll also have opportunities to practice your Spanish and learn new phrases with the help of native speakers!
Adventure
No trip to Costa Rica would be complete without adventure! Zipline through tall canopy trees, hike to a gorgeous waterfall and explore one of Costa Rica’s scenic beaches. Discover the iconic cacao tree and taste its fruit during an exciting chocolate tour. Take a dip in thermal hot springs, set against the backdrop of a tropical rainforest and try the waterslide into the springs. You may also have the opportunity to experience the region’s exotic wildlife up close during your program. You never know where you might spot a sloth or monkey!
Lodging & Meals
Our middle school students will get to stay in two unique areas in the Alajuela Province. Our first Home Base will be a family-owned hotel in the Central Valley region of Costa Rica, with a large indoor common area and a pool, where students will wake up to the surrounding views of lush landscapes and the chirping of native birds. Our second Home Base is an all-wooden lodge surrounded by pineapple and sugarcane farms in a small, rural community. There is a lake on the property where students can swim, kayak and enjoy the exclusive, sprawling grounds. Students will share gender-segregated rooms and have access to Western-style en-suite bathrooms.
Costa Rica is known for its simple diet of rice, beans and a side of meat. The food at Home Base will reflect the traditional dietary staples. It will be simple, but fresh and healthy and include delicious, locally-grown fruits.
COSTA RICA
MIDDLE SCHOOL SERVICE ADVENTURE
Dates & Tuition
10-Day Program
2026 Session Dates
June 20 – June 29, 2026
July 03 – July 12, 2026
Program Details
Tuition Includes All In-Country Expenses
Airport pick-up/drop-off
In-country transportation
Lodging
3 meals per day
Professional full-time staff and experts
24/7 parent support hotline during program
Secondary medical and evacuation insurance
Cultural activities, lectures and excursions
Pre-departure materials and support
Educational materials
An application fee and $600 deposit are required
to hold your spot on-program.
Backed by our 5-Point Safety Systemâ„¢
GLA HOME BASE:
SAFE & SECURE LODGING
CARING SUPERVISION &
EXPERT LOCAL KNOWLEDGE
SAFE
TRANSPORTATION
HEALTHY FOOD
& PURE WATER
24/7 SUPPORT &
EMERGENCY RESPONSE
Recommended by Students and Parents
“My adventure in Costa Rica was, without a doubt, one of the best experiences in my life. The time there was a perfectly constructed concoction of work, education, and fun. The trip definitely changed my view on the world and was a great way to spend part of my summer.”
Ethan | Student | 2023
COSTA RICA
MIDDLE SCHOOL SERVICE ADVENTURE
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