Pura vida! Cool! unfortunately, Introspections ,young adult program just closed before we arrived, but New Summit Academy for 15-17 yr. olds and Northwoods are alive and thriving!!
The boys from New Summit are bright students who enjoy home stay families on Sunday in Atenas, a delightful village, in the mountains 40 minutes (depending on traffic) from San Jose and 15 minutes from Alajuela, the airport. The program is tops , including ‘Aventuras’, trips throughout LAtin America; the viewing ,premiere of the Belize trip, was in the Sala Garbo in San Jose and attended by all the stafff and several families. The production was creative, cinematically good, informative, and professional. The boys were divided into 4 teams and competed for the prize , all with good nature. Heather tRacy nd the founders have been together since 2004 , and Heather comes with proficient Spanish. They will be moving from the Quinta (5 acre farm to a Finca of 10 acres) soon. Very impressive experience and highly recommended , even during the rainy season, where the creek rises.
Next, we visited Northwoods, in La Tigra, San Carlos, stayed in the Lodge, saw the cabin, met the homestay families, Freddy and Otto, and explored the fruit and vegetable farm, with Hugo Solano Solis. Hugo, born in La Fortuna (30 minutes away) teaches the boys soccer, academics, scuba diving, and farming. Toucans flew by, koi and tilapia ponds built by the boys also provide sustenance.
The program, located 9 mos of the year in Idaho, send 4/5 of the more advanced boys to CR for 3 mos in winter. Those that stay with Otto Mendez, have the privilege to live in a horticulturist’s paradise; He, a professional landscaper, has terraced and planted exotic and ornamental plants and created the most attractive setting that I have seen in all my travels ( 47 countries). His wife, Mari, and daughter , Dinia ( Hugo’s wife) teach crafts to the boys: jewelry of all kinds 1 day a week, for gifts. The energy, vitality, and commitment of the adults connected with Northwoods is exceptional. Both programs have websites: New Summit Academy and Northwoods.
Truly ‘Pura Vida’!
