L-R: Melissa Morado, Anna Keledei, Marina Salazar, Unknown Tour Guide, Amber Bugarin, Samantha Montes, Erika Gomez, and Jourdan Zelaya (kneeling below)

L-R: Melissa Morado, Erika Gomez

Students from Ramona Convent Secondary School have recently returned from an enriching experience in Costa Rica. This 8-day trip organized by STEM teacher, Aulikki Flagan, and sponsored by the Science Department was a wonderful opportunity for students to apply the knowledge they have obtained in their STEM courses at Ramona. STEM is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math education. At Ramona Convent we offer girls the opportunity to excel in these areas both in and out of the classroom. Specialized classes include Engineering, Physical Computing, Forensics, as well as a number of Computer courses and AP and Honors level Math and Science courses.

In addition to the educational experience, they were able to further enhance their service learning experience as students spent part of their trip participating in community service activities at a remote local elementary school. They poured a new concrete floor in one of the classrooms, built a new walkway, and painted the school in and out. The girls also enjoyed hiking throughout the rain forest and experiencing environmental attractions such as waterfalls and an organic farm where students were able to help local farmers extract sugar directly from sugar canes. A few students even tried white water rafting for the first time! This was truly a chance for the students to cultivate an informed and sensitive awareness of this part of the world in order to better co-exist with other nations across the globe.

L-R: Amber Bugarin, Anna Keledei, Aulikki Flagan, Marina Salazar, Samantha Montes

As L.A.’s premier interdependent Catholic girls’ school, Ramona Convent teaches each student to think about ideas, people, the world, and herself as integral parts of a much larger whole. As we have for 125 years, Ramona kindles each girl’s intellect, college readiness, and poise through critical reading, thinking, writing, and problem solving, and accompanies each young woman on her self -internalized journey toward full development.

Ramona Convent Secondary School, 1701 West Ramona Rd., Alhambra, (626) 282-4151 or visit www.ramonaconvent.org.