HUNTINGTON – The Gateway Regional School Committee opened Wednesday’s meeting with a presentation by the students, teacher and staff chaperones who attended a school trip to Costa Rica during the April spring vacation. This was the second trip to Costa Rica taken by Gateway students in a combined Spanish and science educational tour.
After showing the committee a well-produced video they had made of the trip, participants took turns talking about the highlights of the trip for each of them. Gateway Spanish teacher Desiree Rivera-Perez commented, “You haven’t lived until you’ve gone on a trip with Mrs. Robbins!” (referring to chaperone and high school secretary Debra Robbins). For her part, Robbins said she introduced herself on the trip as the “abuela loco” (crazy grandmother).
(L-R) Chaperone Debra Robbins, Madison Bang, Chloe Otterbeck, Megan Wright, Erica Wolfe, Alyssa Donaruma (translator), Clarissa Tweed, Dayna Britland and Anna Pless during a reforestation project, part of their school trip to Costa Rica. (Photo by Desiree Rivera-Perez)
Student Megan Wright said the favorite part for her was bonding with everyone on the trip. She said she enjoyed visiting a local school and people’s homes in country. She also mentioned that by having no cell phones with them they spent more time getting to know each other, and playing cards.
Other students spoke about trying new food, participating in a pick-up soccer game with children in the community, and spending time getting to know the Costa Rican guide and translators that traveled with them.
Chloe Otterbeck, who wrote about the trip, enjoyed the experience of accompanying biologists to track sea turtles. “At the Estacion Las Tortugas, the girls split into small groups to patrol the beach for leatherback turtles. Biologists had the girls walking along the 3-mile stretch of beach at 10 p.m. with no flashlights in the Costa Rican heat. It wasn’t the most enjoyable experience until they came upon a couple of female leatherback turtles coming out of the water to lay their eggs. Students formed into smaller groups so most were able to see a turtle. Some even helped the biologists collect the eggs, and tag and measure the mothers,” Otterbeck wrote.
Robbins also spoke about how proud she was of the students on the trip. She said that on a nine-day trip with eight teenagers, there wasn’t one disturbance. “It was the opportunity of a lifetime for me. I really hope Gateway continues to support the program,” Robbins said.
Rivera-Perez agreed, saying everywhere they went, she kept hearing how amazing the girls were. She said the girls will be showing their presentation at an upcoming assembly for 9th, 10th, and 11th graders.
Members of the Gateway Regional High School Concert and Jazz bands hold trophies won at a band competition in Philadelphia recently. (Photo submitted)
Student Council liaison Anna Pless also had some good news to share about Gateway’s performance at the Music in the Parks band festival in Philadelphia at the end of April. The Gateway High School Concert Band took second place, and the Jazz Band won first place in the A group competition, and first place overall for Jazz ensembles. In between performances, they also toured Philadelphia, visiting the Liberty Bell and the Betsy Ross museum, accompanied by Band director Beth Guertin and student teacher Ryan Emken. “It was a really great trip with the band,” Pless said.
Pless and High School Principal Jason Finnie also spoke about additional changes for graduation garb this year. Finnie apologized for missing the School Committee meeting for the vote on changing the gowns to one color for the June 2 graduation.
Finnie said since that decision, he was approached by several students in the graduating class about allowing graduation cap decorations this year, a departure from past practice. He said the students had a well thought out presentation, and the administration decided to allow the change under agreed-upon guidelines.
“I think they did a really nice job,” Finnie said, adding that he was pleasantly surprised at how conservative the proposal was. He also told the School Committee they will have a backup plan for graduation day, if a cap is rejected. Students were also warned to be prepared not to walk if the decorations weren’t approved.
The graduation cap guidelines include allowing no numbers other than the graduation year, no drug, alcohol, tobacco, weapon or sex references; nothing offensive, disrespectful, and no profanity. Also excluded were abbreviations and acronyms, and political protests and movements. Nothing 3D or hanging off the cap will be permitted, and it must be neat and secure, with no excessive glitter.
Suggestions for decorations included graduation year, college student plans to attend, life after high school, and an inspirational quote or message.
Pless said that students were excited about the opportunity for self-expression, and were looking forward to graduation.
