School News
Costa Rica 2023
Towards the end of the summer term, 26 pupils from Westfield and Newcastle School for Boys joined forces to travel to Costa Rica. The trip including pupils from Years 11-13 provided some incredible insight into the Central American country, where la pura vida (everything’s great, ‘the pure life’) is a philosophy for the whole country and its way of living.
The first week was spent in Montezuma, where students and staff alike helped ASVO in its conservation efforts to save endangered turtle species. Clearing the local beaches of plastic and litter, learning how turtles hatched eggs on the dunes and how to save developing turtles from hermit crabs, everyone gained a valuable insight into what we can do to protect the world we live in, and how our actions in the UK can impact somewhere over 5,000 miles away.
The second week started in the mountains of Monteverde, where the group took part in jungle night walks, zipwires across the Cloud Tree Canopies of the mountains, and took the chance to sample local food and traditions. They then made their way to Arenal – a beautiful area of the country in the wake of an active volcano. There was certainly time for relaxing when they arrived there, with a day spent at the beautiful Bali hot springs with one of the most stunning views of the Arenal volcano looming over the horizon.
A quick tour of the capital San José concluded the second week before flying home. Even with a few flight delays, all pupils thought the trip was incredible, with some saying ‘it was the best experience of my life!’.
Thanks again to Miss Quinn, Mr Smith and Miss Baguley from Westfield for running and organising the trip – it was an enormous success.