Skip to content

Prince Rupert’s alternate school students find Pura Vida in Costa Rica

Pacific Coast School organized an international school trip for the first time

For spring break, students from the alternate school in Prince Rupert travelled to Costa Rica and soaked in the ‘pura vida’ way of life.

This was the first time Pacific Coast School organized an international school trip. For 10 days, five high school students experienced a part of the world, and themselves, that left them changed.

“Pura vida means pure life, and in Costa Rica they use it for, like, everything,” said Anissa Barton, Grade 12 student.

The students practiced their Spanish with locals, they went horseback riding, ziplining, kayaking on the river. Despite being scared, Barton let herself fall off the platform, and embraced the adrenaline rush while being surrounded by the beautiful surroundings.

READ MORE: Prince Rupert’s alternate school goes international

Grade 11 student, James Barton, was fascinated by the animals.

“We learned about sloths, howling monkeys, we saw a variety of animals as well. We saw three or four frogs, about maybe one or two [very large] grasshoppers, we saw one vine snake. It was very interesting,” Barton said.

For Kennedi Sampson, Grade 12, her favourite memory was exploring a tropical waterfall.

“At the very top there were two streams that merged and there was one filled with aluminum and one filled with silica that when they both came together and mix with oxygen it turns into this nice vibrant blue colour,” Kennedi said.

School principal, Jeremy Janz, joined the students on the trip, along with School District 52 superintendent Irene LaPierre. The alternate school offers more flexibility for students who need one-on-one learning. The trip, Janz said, was the students’ idea. They worked hard to fundraise, and a few local businesses gave a little extra to help get them there.

READ MORE: School of new beginnings


Shannon Lough | Editor
Shannon Lough 
Send Shannon email
Like the The Northern View on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
16367768_web1_WEB-PRU-CostaRica.JeremyJanz.SL
Jeremy Janz, principal of Pacific Coast School, Anissa Barton, Grade 12, Todd “James” Barton, Grade 11, Taylor Wilson, Grade 12, and Kennedi Sampson, Grade 12, share their memories of their school trip to Costa Rica. (Shannon Lough / The Northern View)