Middle School Puerto Rico Trip 2026: Learning Beyond the Classroom
At Seattle Amistad School, bilingual and bicultural education is more than a curriculum—it’s a lived experience. Each year, our middle school students take what they’ve learned in the classroom and bring it into the real world through an immersive trip to a Spanish-speaking country. For many of them, it’s the moment when everything they’ve practiced—language, culture, history—suddenly becomes tangible.
In the spring of 2026, our students will travel to Puerto Rico, a place where history and modern identity intertwine. As they walk the cobblestone streets of Old San Juan, step inside centuries-old forts, and listen to stories carried through generations, they begin to understand Puerto Rico not just as a destination, but as a narrative—one layered with resilience, artistry, and ancestral roots. They’ll experience firsthand the traditions, music, and food that bring Puerto Rican culture to life and discover how these elements connect deeply with their own bicultural learning.
This journey also introduces students to the heritage of the Taíno people, whose influence is still felt across the island’s language, customs, and stories. Learning about Indigenous history in a place where it still breathes helps students see culture as something living—not something confined to textbooks.
Beyond culture, Puerto Rico’s environment becomes another teacher. Students will visit the striking pink salt flats of Cabo Rojo and other ecological sites, observing biodiversity up close and engaging with conversations about environmental stewardship. These moments in nature often become some of the most memorable parts of the trip—where learning and wonder meet.
And throughout it all, Spanish is no longer just a subject. It becomes a tool, a bridge, a voice. Whether students are ordering food, asking questions, or simply interacting with community members, they grow more confident using the language organically, discovering that they truly can navigate the world as bilingual speakers. These experiences build independence, leadership, and self-belief in ways no classroom could replicate.
This trip represents so much of who we are as a school. It strengthens bilingual communication, deepens cultural pride, and offers students the chance to see themselves reflected in the broader world. It builds memories they will carry for a lifetime—memories that shape how they understand themselves and their place in a global community.
Most importantly, we believe this opportunity should belong to every student. We are committed to ensuring that cost never determines who gets to participate. To make this possible, we are raising funds that will directly support travel, lodging, cultural excursions, meals, and overall program accessibility. Every contribution—no matter the size—helps bring this journey within reach for all our students.
This is more than a trip. It is a moment of growth, connection, and discovery—one that can only happen when a community comes together to make it possible.