Swimming with sharks, ziplining, and exploring Mayan ruins are just some of the adventures students on the Intensive Learning Belize trip will enjoy.

The trip was proposed by Ailsa Moriuchi, visual art teacher and Art Department Chair, and Erik Cotter, PE and health teacher. The main goals of the trip are to learn about the historical and cultural background of the Mayan people, the ecosystem, and Belize itself. This trip will last from March 22-28. 

Although Moriuchi and Cotter have no personal connection to Belize, both teachers have reasons for choosing Belize as their destination. 

MFS alumni Moriuchi traveled to Costa Rica once (with Gail Barna and Josefina Paolello leading the trip) for her junior year of Intensive Learning and wants to experience nature in Central America again. 

“Belize has always been on my bucket list,” Cotter commented. He is particularly excited to learn about the ecosystem and preservation efforts within the rainforest and barrier reef, as well as how the Mayan Civilization developed agriculture and trade systems. 

Avani Verma ’24 noted her excitement for traveling with a group of all seniors: “I’ll be spending time with all of my friends together for one of the last times.” She selected Belize as her final Intensive Learning trip because she loves excursions, outdoor hiking in the rainforest, and water activities: “The trip had everything,” she remarked.

Another student attending the trip, Nick Makar ’24, looks forward to “snorkeling and seeing ancient ruins.” His intention for choosing Belize was because many of his friends were already going, meaning he’d “have fun no matter what.” 

Moriuchi’s encouraging students to journal in a sketchbook and create art throughout their time in Belize. Moriuchi plans to “take what they made [during the trip] to create visual arts projects back at school.” 

Regarding the planning process of the Belize trip, Cotter and Moriuchi utilized Explorica, an online guide for educational tours, which had an outline for the week. The leaders gave input for specific parts of the trip to best tailor it to the Intensive Learning experience, but Cotter stated they didn’t make any significant changes to the itinerary. 

According to Cotter, there hasn’t been a Belize trip for Intensive Learning yet. “There was supposed to be one scheduled in 2020 led by Mrs. McFeely, but COVID happened, and she also retired.” 

The trip will culminate with an artistic zine composed of pictures, art, and writing from the trip. This small, self-published magazine or pamphlet will allow the students to collaborate in showcasing their Belize memories for the rest of the community.

Featured image uploaded to Wikimedia Commons by Caleb Moore in the public domain.

NOTE: An earlier version of this article was published that noted Ailsa Moriuchi as an attending trip leader. Since its original publication, this has changed, and Moriuchi will not be chaperoning the trip, and instead, Director of Technology Steve Kolaris will accompany the trip.