Dominican Republic » Beachside Service Adventure

Dominican Republic: Beachside Service Adventure

Appreciate the beauty of the island and its people; be a part of sustainable solutions to end its poverty.

Highlights

Volunteer to implement ecologically sustainable development projects
Hike through the forest to a series of 12 stunning waterfalls
Ride a catamaran in the Caribbean
Meet dynamic leaders implementing cutting edge social programs
Explore pristine beaches
Check out an overview video of the program
Read student blog : GLA Alum Maile Hartsook shares how the Dominican Republic changed her life when she returned home.

Overview

Join us in the Caribbean! On this high school summer program, you’ll spend time on the beach and volunteer to help impoverished communities and enjoy the natural wonders of the island such as hidden waterfalls, crystal clear water and lush green forests. The island maintains a vibrant culture encompassed by its traditional dances, folklore and love of baseball. We will volunteer to build homes for low-income communities and build clean burning stoves to improve people’s health. This is a meaningful and high impact teen community service summer program.

Watch Dr. Dave Addison, our Program Director, talk about GLA Dominican Republic.

Community Service

On this teen community service trip, high school students will volunteer in rural and urban communities working on sustainable projects such as reforestation, construction of biomass stoves, and installation of water filtration systems. Students will also work with local children at refugee camps, sharing their talents doing arts and crafts, playing sports and games, and teaching basic conversational English. Most importantly, you will be a friend and role model to young children who have limited exposure to the rest of the world.

Check out Leah’s blog on the people she met in the Caribbean.

Hands-On Learning

Sustainable development has become a necessity for all of humanity. We must learn to live in harmony with our environment. Our approach to teen study abroad is to learn while doing. Through the service work and seminars, you will learn how to think about sustainability in the home and life of your family. While living sustainably we will work to empower each other to become more sustainable in our practices. We will also learn about the vibrant Dominican culture – a mix of indigenous, African, and European – through music and dance and interactions with locals living in the villages and coastal communities.

Listen to GLA Alums Andrea and Pia talk about what they learned in the Dominican.

Adventure

We’ll get out and explore the tropical countryside through long hikes through a chain of hidden waterfalls, ride a catamaran over the blue Caribbean Sea, and check out the pristine white sand beaches and remote mountain villages. One afternoon we will challenge the children to a game of baseball and learn about the cultural significance of baseball in this country. This is not just another teen summer program – it is an unforgettable experience.

Lodging

The GLA Home Base is a gorgeous beachfront cluster of chalets around a swimming pool. The GLA Home Base is on an almost-private beach called Playa Las Canas, approximately 30 minutes east of the town of Puerto Plata. High school students will share a bedroom with one other student. Each bedroom has a private bathroom. Food will be hearty, healthy and locally grown organic food consisting of meats, beans, rice, vegetables, and fruit.