GREEN Students
Energize Costa Rica With Pilot Program
By Shane Brennan
The dreams of the Global Renewable Energy
Education Network Team transformed into
reality over winter break when their
renewable energy program in Costa Rica
launched its pilot session.
Students landed at the San José airport on
Jan. 5 and spent 12 days learning and
applying renewable energy ideas, enjoying
the environment and giving back to the
locals.
“Despite having busy days learning different
types of energy sources, we would go out and
take on adventures which dealt [with] what
we learned,” said Melissa Lee, one of the
three founders of the GREEN Team. “For
example, for geothermal energy, we went to
the hot springs near the hotel.”
Ben Lapidus, another team founder, said the
Costa Rican natives were also part of the
experience.
“The locals were so interested in what we
were doing, and the different adventures
that we went on really offered a different
environment that no classroom could create,”
said Lapidus, a School of Arts and Sciences
junior.
The trip allowed students to give back to
the local community, Lee said.
“We were able to give back to them by
developing a rain collection system for a
poverty stricken family,” said Lee, a School
of Arts and Sciences junior. “We left a
lasting impression in Costa Rica, and
helping out the locals was our favorite
part.”
The program concluded with presentations by
pairs of students who reflected on what they
learned and how to incorporate their ideas
back home.
Overall, the pilot session received positive
feedback from the 15 students who traveled.
School of Arts and Sciences junior Dinesh
Rai was glad she took the opportunity to
learn and volunteer abroad.
“It definitely is a lot more fun than book
learning. I would not be so motivated to
learn more on my own if it was in a
traditional classroom setting,” Rai said.
“Looking at everything was awesome. The
people, culture and country were amazing.”
School of Arts and Sciences junior Krista
Bono said one particular activity, The
Capstone Project, put what she learned into
action.
“It helped us see things in different
perspectives and really think about what we
experienced over the past couple of days,”
Bono said.
The program also enabled students to earn
three credits.
“Costa Rica was amazing, and the program
allowed me to learn much more than I would
have been able to because it was hands-on
and more beneficial than a classroom,” said
Brady Halligan, a School of Environmental
and Biological Sciences junior.
The GREEN Team was created based on three
pillars, said founder Mike Naumov.
“Education, adventure and culture is what
this program is all about,” said Naumov, a
School of Arts and Sciences junior.
The trip’s itinerary was set up so the
students could experience all three aspects,
Lee said.
Lapidus is optimistic of the program’s
future because of its popularity and the
recent awareness for environmental
protection.
“[Going] green is becoming a big trend.
There are going to be a lot of job
opportunities opening up for all majors,”
Lapidus said. “Our goal is to create a
program which will harvest awareness and
teach students the major impact it will
have.” |
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