Discovering Panama’s cultures is the goal, and FACE teacher Sarah Halverson has a discovery trip planned to accomplish the goal in July 2023.

Halverson says Panama is a beautiful place with a budget of about $3,000 to bring the students to tour.

“I kind of thought about it, and Panama came in at a reasonable price for us students to go. And it looks like a beautiful place to go,” said Halverson.

Juniors Charlie Severson and Noah Kubaskie are both excited about the trip.

“The main reason I want to go on the trip to Panama is because it seems like a good opportunity to learn about different cultures. It also will be my first time traveling outside the country, and I’m super excited about it,” said Severson.

“The Panama trip I want to be able to have an experience of leaving the United States and be able to go with my friends on a trip,” said Kubaskie.

Halverson is hoping to allow the students signed up to go to experience life outside of the United States and discover the different cultures in the world.

“I take international trips with students because if you’re not in a foreign language class, typically you do not get to go on an international type of trip And, I feel like having traveled myself to several places that it’s really important for kids to be able to go and see different things. And I always have food focused on my trip, as well,” said Halverson.

Halverson and the juniors hope to get a different taste in the foods and see differences.

“I’m hoping to get to eat lots of different kinds of foods while traveling outside the U.S,” said Severson.

“Getting an understanding of what other people in different places have, like how they live and what their lifestyle is. And like if there’s like different foods and stuff,” said Kubaskie.

Halverson says that during the trip she is hoping the students will see different cultures outside of their own.

“I always liked the students to be able to see different cultures, the way people live differently, how they can also get along with others in the world, but also live harmoniously with each other. I think it’s so important for kids to understand where this little thing is stuck on this earth and how different on a global level that the world really is.”

Overall, Halverson wants the students to develop different skills through these trips like different life skills, survival skills, and wants them to get the fun aspect of it.

“I think the students will definitely develop some independence and be able to realize who they are, in their sense of seeing what is happening in the world. Also being able to, you know, just be able to navigate sometimes we have to go on subways and of course airplanes and being able to navigate all of those types of things. But there’s so much learning that happens on those trips, stuff that kids don’t even realize they’re learning.”