Beyond the Classroom: A Global Glimpse Experience

Our Global Glimpse Journeys
Lolita: Two years ago, I traveled with our students to Costa Rica, where we explored environmental conservation and learned about the relationship between communities and the natural environment. This year, I had the opportunity to travel with another group of DVC juniors to the Dominican Republic, where our students explored the theme of immigration.

Although the countries and themes have been different, one thing has remained the same: watching our students grow throughout the 11 days. At the beginning of the trip, students may be nervous about trying unfamiliar foods, meeting new people, navigating a new environment, or simply being away from home. By the end, I often see a very different version of those same students. They become more independent. They communicate more confidently. They become more willing to ask questions, listen to perspectives different from their own, and take on leadership roles.

Perhaps my favorite part is watching students connect with local communities in these rural areas and giving back to those communities through the Community Action Projects. This year, our trip to Constanza, Dominican Republic built a home for a woman whose house burned down in a community fire. We used hand-saws to cut through wood, and hammered in nails to create those walls, all with the guidance, instruction, and supervision of the lead construction worker on site.

Kalena: For the past two years, I have had the opportunity to serve as a Global Glimpse Leader, traveling with students to Turrialba, Costa Rica, and Chitré, Panama. I originally signed up because I loved the idea of giving students the opportunity to travel, experience another culture, and learn outside of the classroom. What I didn't expect was how much I would learn alongside them.

As a teacher, some of my favorite moments have been watching students step outside of their comfort zones. In the classroom, we constantly ask students to take risks, collaborate, problem-solve, and become more independent. On these trips, you get to watch them actually do it. They navigate unfamiliar situations, take on leadership roles, connect with new people, and sometimes surprise themselves with what they are capable of.

More Than Travel
Global Glimpse is designed to develop students as both leaders and global citizens. The program challenges students to broaden their understanding of the world, develop empathy, and recognize the impact they can have both locally and globally.

Students don't simply learn about another country from a textbook. They experience it. They meet local community members. They learn about history and culture. They try new foods and activities. They participate in service-learning. They navigate unfamiliar situations. They work alongside students from other schools. And, perhaps most importantly, they learn to see the world from perspectives beyond their own.

Savannah, Desmond, and Ashley participated in a Community Action Project in Constanza, Dominican Republic, helping build a home for a woman whose house had burned down in a community fire. With the guidance, instruction, and supervision of the lead construction worker on site, students used hand saws to cut wood and hammered nails to help construct the walls.

"Overall, this was a great learning experience for the entire group, as we learned many valuable lessons such as real-world problem-solving, compromising, communication, and the importance of safety in the workplace. We also learned sentimental lessons such as the importance of community and the need for fellowship. This was a fantastic experience that we would do again if we had the opportunity," said Savannah, Desmond, and Ashley.

During Kalena's trips, students worked with local schools, planted trees in the mangroves, learned about sustainability, took dance classes, and spent time learning from the communities around them. As Kalena puts it: "One of the things I appreciate most about Global Glimpse is that it isn't just about sightseeing. Students learn about the history, culture, environment, and everyday lives of the communities we visit. Planting trees in the mangroves isn't just an activity; it becomes a lesson about sustainability and why protecting these ecosystems matters. Community projects aren't just about volunteering; they give students a chance to listen, collaborate, and understand a community different from their own."

Global Glimpse reminds students that traveling isn't just about seeing new places. It's about learning how to listen, connect, adapt, and understand. As Kalena reflects: "I've come home from both trips with incredible memories, but I've also come home reminded of something I already believe as a teacher: education doesn't only happen in a classroom. Sometimes it happens while your hands are covered in mud planting a tree. Sometimes it happens while you're trying to learn a dance you've never done before. And sometimes it happens through a conversation with someone whose life looks completely different from yours. The world gets a little bigger when we're willing to step outside of what we know."

A Trip That Is Accessible to Our Students
Another part of Global Glimpse that we are especially proud to share with our Da Vinci families is the program's commitment to making international travel accessible to all students.

Global Glimpse provides scholarships to students at partner schools, including a guaranteed scholarship for accepted students and additional sliding-scale, need-based scholarships. According to their 2026 information session, the total program cost can be reduced significantly through these scholarships, with the potential for families to pay as little as $650. The program cost also includes the pre-trip workshops, airfare, housing, transportation, food while in-country, and the 11-day international programming.

We believe this matters because experiences that broaden a student's world should not be limited to students who can easily afford them.