Global Education & Travel

Growing Global Thinkers

Our goal is to grow global thinkers into difference makers. Global education is woven into our curriculum through stewardship opportunities, travel, field experiences, and daily second language. We want our kiddos to know the world outside their school, community, state, and country to help develop an awareness of new cultures, languages, and ways of life.

Our staff understands that valuable learning occurs outside our classroom walls. This encourages us to bring our learning outside of our building, from the mayor’s office in downtown Zeeland for our younger friends, to Mexico and Costa Rica for our oldest friends. As students grow older, their classes venture further away from home to nurture a global mindset and widen our learning lenses. Our travel experiences serve many purposes – to create real-world learning experiences, to understand other communities or cultures, to serve others using our gifts and talents, and to maintain our love and excitement for learning!

Stewardship

The caring hearts of our staff, students, and families make an impact all across the globe – from our local Food Pantry in Zeeland, Michigan, to the orphanages of Mexico, our stewardship knows no limits and continues to flourish as our students continue to explore the world.

 

  • His Harvest Stand (Local)
  • Helen DeVos Hospital (Local)
  • Jump Rope for Heart (National)
  • Hosting Fair Trade Markets (International)
  • Project Based Learning with a Purpose (Backpacks) (International)
  • Raised $ for Science Labs in Honduras (International)

Field Experiences

Our innovative students travel near and far at an earlier age than most traditional schools. The trips that are planned for our students progress in range and depth as they grow from a younger friend to an oldest friend.

We love creating positive and impactful relationships with communities and organizations around the world, and strive to instill those same values in our students!

Daily Second Language

Whether it is through the Las Huellas Spanish Immersion Program or receiving daily Spanish instruction in our Classic Program, language learning allows our students to learn and experience a new world. Learning a new language not only has cognitive benefits for our students, but also creates a global awareness for our kiddos to learn to communicate and understand cultures that stretch beyond our local Zeeland community. Daily Second Language as well as culture classes for our Las Huellas friends provide a specific focus for our students to explore Spanish-speaking countries while they learn a new language.

Mentor Partnerships

Our youngest friends and oldest friends classes are partnered together to give our students a multi-age learning experience while also providing carved out time to explore the international world. These partnerships dedicate time to students exploring new countries, cultures, and customs while also participating in multi-age learning. Older friends are given the opportunity to mentor and lead younger friends as they learn about new countries each year.