HHS students travel to Costa Rica

A group of Hillsboro High School students, along with five adult chaperones, traveled to Costa Rica June 11-22 to study neotropical ecology. In preparation for studying neotropical ecology and biodiversity, selected students completed research projects involving places visited throughout the trip and read and discussed information on neotropical ecology and culture experiences. While in Costa Rica, students participated in biological data collection and developed their own inquiry-based projects and performed a minimum of three inquiry activities. Students' pre-trip research focused on one of the following themes: conservation biology, human interactions and effects on the environment, ecology and conservation of cloud forest or ecotourism.

Throughout the ten days of the trip, students kept an ongoing log or journal of their experience in the country, collecting thoughts of cultural differences, species identification and research notes.

Students traveled to Curu, where they participated in sea turtle nest egg counts; Arenal, where they visited an active volcano; and Monteverde, where they explored the Cloud Forest ecosystem.