PORT TOWNSEND — More than 30 students from Jefferson Community School in Port Townsend are in Cuba for the culmination of almost a year of studying the country’s social systems, government and environment.
“This isn’t a rewards trip,” said Rita Hemsley, head of the private school. “It’s part of their education, so we take it very seriously.”
Jefferson Community students will talk about their Cuba trip at 11:30 a.m. June 16 at the school at 280 Quincy St.
The students left May 19 and are scheduled to return June 10.
Jefferson Community is an expeditionary and exploratory school that focuses on hands-on education, according to Hemsley.
Every year, the school coordinates an overseas trip as the final part of the students’ education in the classroom.
“In science, they’ve been learning all about the flora and fauna,” Hemsley said. “In history and social sciences, they’ve been learning all about the government, and our scuba program is integrated into the program as well.”
During their time in Cuba, the students will go on nature walks and dives to study the plants and animals found on the island and in the waters surrounding it. Those activities will be led by science teacher David Miller.
Students also will learn about Cuba’s government and social structures with Craig Frick, expedition leader, assistant head of school and history and civics teacher.
Four days of the trip will be devoted to diving with the school’s dive instructor, Nam Siu, and a local dive expert. Thirteen Jefferson Community students are expected to be certified in scuba while in Cuba. That will mean about half of the entire student body of the school will be scuba-certified.
“As much as possible, we want our learning to be hands-on,” Hemsley said. “The scuba program is part of that.”
Students will volunteer at a partner school in Soroa. They brought school supplies to donate and will assist in English language classes and in making basic repairs to the school.
“We always try to include a service element as well,” Hemsley said.
Trips outside Port Townsend have been a part of the school’s curriculum since it started in 2005. The costs of the trip are built into tuition.
“It’s an integral part of our academic program,” Hemsley said.
In the beginning, trips were sometimes overseas and sometimes domestic.
In 2013, when Hemsley took over as head of the school, student built their own canoe, then paddled it down the Green River. However, in recent years, the trips have become more internationally focused.
Last year, students went to Vietnam, Cambodia and Mexico, and next year, they’ll head to Nepal.
This year’s trip included 31 students and six chaperones, which takes a lot of coordination, according to Hemsley.
“Flights aren’t that hard, but they’re all staying in Airbnbs,” Hemsley said. “The logistics of placing 31 people in Airbnbs in a communist country was difficult.”
Hemsley said in a effort to make planning easier, the school sends a “reconnaissance team.” A small group of students along with assistant head of school Frick go to the country a year before the trip to check out tours, dive companies and the lodgings they plan to use while traveling.
“So we can find the right bus drivers, what are the best villages to be in, what the better dive team is, they test out all of that,” Hemsley said.
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Jefferson County Editor/Reporter Cydney McFarland can be reached at 360-385-2335, ext. 55052, or at cmcfarland@peninsuladailynews.com.
Jefferson Community School student Rowan takes a selfie with some kids at a school in Soroa, Cuba. (Jefferson Community School)
