"Travel makes you realize that no matter how much you know, there’s always more to learn.”

2024 Costa Rica

This June, seven young men concluded their 10-month mentorship program with Escape the Shape by participating in a five-day service learning trip to Costa Rica.

The mentorship program consisted of virtual sessions every other month virtual sessions, in-person volunteering in the DMV area, community involvement and engagement lessons, gratitude exercises, and fundraising efforts to support the students’ service project in Costa Rica. Scholars were also tasked with reading “Dear Martin” for the Escape the Shape book club along with completing gratitude journals and doing a presentation on the host country of Costa Rica.

In Costa Rica, students navigated a foreign country using the Spanish they learned from school or online applications. Scholars learned to cook traditional Costa Rican dishes, donated supplies and helped refurbish the facilities at Escuala Carlos Maria Jimenez Cortez.

Each day started with students setting personal goals for the day. During the day students completed mindfulness missions, while participating in cultural exchange, hiking to volcanos, frolicking through coffee bean farms, and visiting an animal rescue shelter.

Students expressed how the program "opened the world" around them and allowed them to not only immerse themselves in new experiences but understand the importance of philanthropy efforts domestically and abroad.

2024 Costa Rica

2024 Costa Rica

2024 Costa Rica

Malachi Wilson

Current Grade: 11
Favorite Food: Pizza
Life Theme Song: “Eye of the Tiger” – Survivor
Bucket List Destination: Ghana
Language I want to Learn: Chinese or Italian
Superhero Video “Coast Guardian”

Brian Crawford

Current Grade: 12
Favorite Food: Sushi
Life Theme Song: “Been Away” – Brent Faiyaz
Bucket List Destination: Costa Rica or London
Language I want to Learn: Spanish or Arabic
Superhero Video “The Brainster”

Corey Wells II

Current Grade: 10
Favorite Food: Burrito
Life Theme Song: “Goofy Goober” -Sponge Bob
Bucket List Destination: Bali
Language I want to Learn: Spanish
Superhero Video “The Captain who Cares”

Curtis Jackson III

Current Grade: 10
Favorite Food: Burrito
Life Theme Song: “Lovely Day” – Bill Withers
Bucket List Destination: Japan
Language I want to Learn: Spanish
Superhero Video “Multi-Man”

Jacob Graves

Current Grade: 12
Favorite Food: Potatoes
Life Theme Song: “Can’t Tell Me Nothing” – Kanye West
Bucket List Destination: Brazil
Language I want to Learn: Spanish, Portuguese and Arabic
Superhero Video “Helper”

Jonathan Awunor

Current Grade: 12
Favorite Food: Pasta
Life Theme Song: “Iris” – The Goo Goo Dolls
Bucket List Destination: China
Language I want to Learn: Italian
Superhero Video “Bodhi”

Austin Williams

Current Grade: 11
Favorite Food: Pizza
Life Theme Song:
Bucket List Destination:
Language I want to Learn: Japanese
Superhero Video

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