A breathtaking country with a unique heritage, Guatemala is a sight to see. Spanish IV and V as well as Spanish Heritage classes and students in EDGE have the opportunity to attend Guatemala from Mar. 10-16 for EDGE and Mar. 19-25 for Spanish. They will work with Squads Abroad, to participate in service work for the community specifically with small schools. 

   These student will experience what it’s like to go to another country, use spanish and immerse themselves into the beautiful culture. 

   “I’m excited to get out of our bubble in Liberty and get to serve, and for all the students that go,” Assistant Principal Sara Wickham said. “It will be a very eye-opening and humbling experience.”  

   Traveling to Guatemala, students have the chance to transfer their learning on a new level. EDGE has been using UN Sustainability goals to learn through project based learning and making change in the community. 

   “In EDGE, we do project-based learning and this trip lets us use those UN Sustainable goals to help the world,” senior Santana Hiatt said.

   Spanish students, will use spanish outside of the classroom. They will see this new culture and and experience the culture they’ve been learning about. 

   “I am excited to show them the beautiful country where I was born and raised,” Spanish teacher Astrid Ruiz said. 

   Guatemala is a new country where students and teacher have never been. It will be a chance to see the world through a new lens. 

   “We open our faucet and get clean water. In Guatemala, some people have to walk miles to get water,” Ruiz said, “I think this trip will have a very positive impact because of that.” 

   Both Spanish classes and EDGE currently work with Squads Abroad to plan the service part of this trip. Students will assist schools in the community with service activities like painting or repairing the building and building a new bathroom. They will also be running workshops on proper hand washing techniques for students and teacher in the school. Spanish will be raising money to bring school supplies as well. Squads Abroad has also helped with this planning like where they will be staying, what food they will have and how they can give students the best experience to learn and be engaged in the culture.  

   “We are going to make a difference and we are going to be helping not only one student but a whole school,” Ruiz said. 

   Advisors have worked for months, planning the logistics of this trip like how they will get there, the cost, what they will do there and more components. They will focus on safety precautions which come with going to a new country with a big group of people. 

   “We are preparing students to handle a different environment they are not familiar with,” Wickham said.  

   EDGE has done a variety of events to raise money for Guatemala. They are working with Hyvee to give students a chance to earn money by bagging groceries. EDGE is currently in the works to have a parents night out in December where parents can drop off there kids K-5 for a while to do some holiday shopping. EDGE also organized an exhibition night on November 16 where they showcased their work but also had fundraising opportunities. They had a silent auction that students donated to and ran as well as some individual fundraising.  

“I’m selling plants on exhibition night to raise money for the trip because I am paying for half of it myself,” Hiatt said. 

   Spanish is planning some fundraising for there students as well. They have had meetings for future fundraising but some students are doing individual fundraising as well.

“Some have already done there own fundraising with their church and with christmas coming, they are doing lots of donations,” Ruiz said. 

   These programs and classes give students the chance to travel to Guatemala to engage in the culture and use their language. This trip will help students gain new skills and while helping the community. It’s an opportunity to connect learning at school, into the real world. 

   For more information on this trip and the fundraising, visit EDGE instagram @lpsedge and Spanish Honor Society twitter @society_lhs. Also see the Squads Abroad website at https://squads.org.