For eighth graders at Bellevue’s Open Window School, taking a trip to Costa Rica this past April was much more than a spring break vacation – it was a hands-on learning experience they’re sure to never forget.

Organized by Chill Expeditions, the trip sent the 15 members of Open Window’s eighth grade class to Costa Rica as part of the school’s international learning programs.

Led by science teacher Mike Montgomery, the 10-day trip gave students the opportunity to conduct experiments in the world-renowned La Selva rainforest, alongside scientists from all over the world. Students also explored local culture, engaged in community building projects and learned, firsthand, the importance of sustainability.

Founded in 1983, Open Window is an independently-run school based on the premise that its students are “children first, gifted second.” In 2004 the school launched its middle school program.

As part of the exploratory curriculum at the school, middle school students participate in science-focused educational trips each year: fifth graders go to the North Cascades Institute, sixth graders go to Olympic Park Institute, and seventh graders go sailing in the San Juan Islands with Salish Sea Expeditions. The crown jewel of the program, the Costa Rican excursion is part of the eighth-grade curriculum.

Montgomery said life sciences and biology are the bulk of the course work in eighth grade, and keeping in line with this, material specific to Costa Rica is incorporated in to the lessons – with the goal being for students to take what they learned in the classroom, and apply it in the Costa Rican jungle. The trip is funded mainly by parents, with financial aid provided in specific situations.

Isaac Ufelman, a recent graduate of the Open Window School, was one of the students who participated in this year’s trip. During his time in Costa Rica, he and another student conducted an experiment involving symbiotic relationships and the effects they have on biodiversity in a given climate.

When Ufelman and his classmates returned from the trip they presented their results to the rest of the school as part of Open Window’s annual Science Day.

The students also completed a service project in Pilon, Costa Rica – where they worked alongside a handful of Costa Rican students to paint the town’s one-room school house.

While Montgomery said there were a number of things that makes this experience such a great opportunity, he noted the most rewarding thing about the trip is seeing students prosper in an unfamiliar environment.

“You see kids develop confidence they can use later in life,” Montgomery said.

Ufelman added getting the chance to speak with world-class scientist was another perk.

“When you go to lunch with a scientist, and talk to them about what you’re doing, you feel like what you are doing is important and valuable,” Ufelman said.

And while the main focus of the trip is to give the students the most authentic experience possible, it’s also about providing excellent opportunities to learn.

“This really is part of their curriculum,” Montgomery said. “This is where they put the science and Spanish skills to practice.”