Parent Permission Form for GS Service Learning Trips 2017 (grade 10 version)

I understand that my child will have an opportunity to enter into a random selection process in order to participate in a service learning trip, and that I must approve by October 4, 2016 any service learning trip for which my child would like to be considered. I also understand that while service learning trip grants are offered to those students who receive financial aid for their tuition, most grants only cover ten to fifty percent of the cost of a service learning trip, although a few may cover more. For more information regarding financial aid, email servicelearning@georgeschool.org. In addition, I am aware that by October 6, 2016, my child must also submit a separate essay/application for each project in which s/he is interested.
The service learning trips that we are planning to offer in summer of 2017 are listed below. Please indicate any and all service learning trips in which you would allow your child to participate, should s/he be selected. Space is limited; students will participate in a random drawing for a spot on a service learning trip. Note: all costs are approximate at this time and subject to change. Specific dates are not yet available. Summer service learning trips start within a few days after the last day of exams and run two to three weeks. Finally, a $500 deposit is required for your child to sign up. This deposit will be charged to your George School account through the Business Office once the family provides consent. Alternatively, you may send a check. This deposit will be applied to the cost of your child's trip.

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* 1. Student Name:

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* 2. Please rank your level of interest below.*

Arizona – $2,595 (SUMMER 2017) - Students work as teachers’ aides in the Kayenta Elementary School located in the Navajo Nation of Arizona. Homestays with local families provide the opportunity to experience the daily life and culture in the Navajo Nation. After-school activities for George School students might include horseback riding through Monument Valley, camping out on the Black Mesa, or rafting down the Colorado River.

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Bonaire - $4,195 - (SUMMER 2017) - 2017 is the inaugural year for this exciting service learning opportunity to the Dutch Caribbean island of Bonaire. The service is twofold with a focus on local island youth and environmental stewardship. Specifically, our students will work with underprivileged native Bonairean children at Jong Bonaire. Volunteer activities will include environmental cleanup with the children on the beaches, in mangroves, and in the ocean. We will also provide academic tutoring and cultural exchanges with Bonairean youth. The environmental service components will include beach, mangrove, and underwater dive site cleanups as well as data collection of invasive species, coral health, and marine life. The data will be fed into a number of international data bases that help marine scientists and researchers. This trip includes underwater clean-ups and marine surveys, therefore, students are required to be or become scuba certified. Trip leader and George School teacher, Chris Odom, is a PADI certified Open Water Scuba Instructor who will instruct students in need of scuba certification during the months leading up to the trip. Students interested in this opportunity must already be comfortable in and around the water. Regardless of any prior scuba experience and scuba certifications, all students will be required to demonstrate competency and comfort with scuba diving in the George School pool prior to the trip. For more information, please visit our trip partners' sites: Dive Friends Bonaire (www.divefriendsbonaire.com), Jong Bonaire (www.jongbonaire.org), and Mid-Atlantic Scuba Center (www.midatlanticscubacenter.com)

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Costa Rica – $3,595 - (SUMMER 2017) - Students travel and work in the rural northern and central parts of Costa Rica, visiting with local families. Service activities emphasize ecological conservation and may include projects with schools, grassroots organizations, and communities. Students learn about Costa Rica’s commitment to environmental stewardship through visits to national parks, wildlife preserves, and conservation organizations. The group visits a variety of habitats, including coastal, tropical dry, mountain, tropical rain, and tropical cloud forest types.

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Vietnam – $4,195 (SUMMER 2017) - Students volunteer at the Bac Ninh Orphanage and Nurturing Center for Deaf Children near Hanoi. Service often includes working with young children, painting and repairing facilities, and gardening. Students meet with individuals who suffer from the effects of Agent Orange used during the Vietnam War. This project includes a week-long homestay with Vietnamese families. Cultural experiences may include visiting remote Hmong ethnic villages, taking boat trips on Ha Long Bay, or exploring the historical Vinh Moc tunnels.

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*Trip preferences are nonbinding until selection in October. However, this information is critical to help us plan appropriately.