Internships in Costa Rica for U.S. High School Students

We are happy to provide a meaningful and unique placement opportunity for students interested in both international education and environmental studies through a limited number of internships at the Cloud Forest School in Monteverde, Costa Rica.

Monteverde Cloud Forest School

The Cloud Forest School set in Monetverde believes that environmental education is an ongoing process of cultivating an understating of the natural world through the exploration of ecological, personal, cultural, and economic interrelationships. Land stewardship and in-class activities are integrated into the academic curriculum and serve to create a series of building blocks, each leading to the next level of understanding and, ultimately, to ecologically responsible attitudes and actions.

Cloud Forest School students feel a keen sense of responsibility as stewards of the forest. They are aware of the fragility as well as the biological significance of the cloud forest. In school, they study landscape, biodiversity, and conservation in many different ways; and teachers incorporate the physical surroundings into every facet of the bilingual curriculum from science to art to literature.

Internship Assignment

The Cloud Forest School offers internships in the following grades and special areas: Pre-School (kinder), Kindergarten (prepa), Grades 1 through 11, Environmental Education, and one-on-one tutoring. Internship assignments will be made based on both the intern's area of interest as well as the needs of the school, as determined by the Volunteer Coordinator. In addition to internship assignments the Volunteer Coordinator will also be a resource for interns, answering questions, providing support and acting as their primary supervisor. Interns will also work with a lead teacher to help plan and teach classes.

Eligibility Requirements

Participants must have graduated from high school and be 18 years old on the day of departure. Additionally, students must be willing to commit to a full academic semester or a school year as interns. Previous study of Spanish is helpful but not required. Interns will live with Costa Rican families and will be expected to integrate into the school and family culture. Students must demonstrate through the application process their flexibility, maturity, adaptability, interest in ecology, and readiness to face the challenges of living in a new culture.

Program Dates and Prices

Academic Year	10 months from July to June, $10,095
Academic Semester 1	5 months from July to December, $7,695
Academic Semester 2	5 months from January to June, $7,695

Application Deadlines

Academic Year	May 10th NEW DEADLINE - APPLY NOW
Academic Semester 1	May 10th NEW DEADLINE - APPLY NOW
Academic Semester 2	October 15th
Early Application discount of $150, if application is received by Jan 31st. Early Application discount of $150, if application is received by July 30th.

Program Includes

Selection, interview and screening of an appropriate Costa Rican family
Room and board with host family
Fees at Cloud Forest School
Supervision and support by Volunteer Coordinator
Periodic progress reports
Transportation to and from a local airport
Orientation before leaving US
Orientation upon arrival in Costa Rica
International airfare between US departure city and Costa Rica
Health and liability insurance

Program does not Include

Round-trip domestic travel to US departure city
Monthly spending allowance
Personal phone charges or other personal items

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