WHS Teachers Returning From Costa Rica Today

Today, Westborough High School teachers Darrell Potosnak and Diane Rodriguez return from five days in Costa Rica.

Thirteen WHS students will be especially interested in the teachers’ experience.

The students and the teachers will attend the Global Student Leaders Summit: Addressing Environmental Sustainability from April 14 to April 22 in Costa Rica.

Former Vice President Al Gore will be the keynote speaker. Education First developed the summit.

Potosnak and Rodriguez spent Jan. 17 to Jan. 21 training and learning best practices for the trip, to share with the students. Potosnak teaches business, including international business. Rodriguez teaches computer science.

An upcoming meeting will “get everybody psyched and let them know what they have to be doing right now,” Potosnak said before her trip.  The advice could include “‘you might want to pack some snacks.’ Or ‘Make sure you bring bug spray,’” she said.

The students “might be able to grab something from this trip to write about that might grab a university’s attention,” Potosnak said.

The experience also “might make world travelers out of them,” she said.

“The thought is also when the students come back, maybe there might be some initiative here that we could develop at Westborough High School,” Potosnak added.

Assistant School Superintendent Dr. Daniel Mayer had e-mailed “all teachers asking if anyone would like to go to Costa Rica and take students,” she said.

Four teachers responded.  One adult chaperone could go for every six students enrolled, she said.

“I thought that would bring a lot to my classroom experience for my students,” Potosnak said.

“I think a lot of students have traveled to Italy, France, London. But Costa Rica is maybe a little bit of a stretch for families. And so this opportunity is really wonderful for students.”