Testimonials

Rustic Pathways is all about providing opportunities for students and having them know you truly believe in them. This was a chance for our students to explore another country and have a rich cross-cultural experience to learn about a world outside of their own. One thousand miles away from our campus, our students worked alongside local villagers to help improve infrastructure and build aqueducts to provide clean sustainable water. Our students walked away with a deeper understanding of themselves, and empathy and respect for others. Additionally, the profound personal growth, empowered sense of self, and connections made were priceless. Rustic Pathways provided students with authentic learning experiences, coupled with real-world application that connected our kids on an international level.

Often, students have preconceived notions about countries and cultures. Though educators try to break down those stereotypes through innovative lessons, nothing compares to students seeing a culture first-hand and meeting people from that culture who don't fit any mold they have seen in the media. During our time with Rustic Pathways, my students were able to have meaningful conversations and discussions that slowly melted away any stereotypes they had. I saw my students blossom as they discussed religion, politics, and education with locals and their Rustic Pathways Program Leaders. My students came away with a profound appreciation of another culture, and I believe if every student had this experience, there would be so much more understanding in this world.

It was quite a powerful experience for our students to work alongside students within the community that were their same age. Rustic helped our students step outside of their comfort zone and take a humble approach to service and culture. As an IB World School, taking action is a quality we try to instill within our students every day. To have them do this on a global scale was monumental. We look forward to planning our next trip!