Every year, The Village High School sends each grade level on a trip designed with a purpose. On Nov. 17, 2025, the sophomores left for their annual trip to Puerto Rico ready for a week of service and cultural learning. The trip had many unforgettable memories and each day had a set schedule of activities for each group.
The adventure started with a beach walk of the Puerto Rican trench and the San Juan point of Bermuda. In the evening, groups shared dinner at the mall and arrived at the hotel for some time to connect with friends.
From there, each bus rotated through a series of activities. The set of activities was a beach day and hiking in caves. One highlight was visiting the beach from famous rapper and singer, Bad Bunny’s home town of Vega Baja. In the afternoon, Iguana Bus went on a cave and river exploration through the rain forest. Groups saw bats, participated in Taino traditions, and got to jump into the river. The hike took students all around the forest from the cold river to the echoing caves. The hike was a unique experience and some students remarked it was the highlight of their week. “The hike, [was my favorite] because it was a lot of fun to go around the jungle, looking at the beautiful landscape,” Barbara Silva Bastidas (10) said, “My favorite part of the hike would be the beautiful waterfall, it just felt like a scene from a movie and it was so cool to be up close to it”.
The next day brought art and service. Buses visited Puerto Rican artist Samule Lind’s home and studio to see his vibrant paintings and learn about his artistic style in the town of Loiza. Later, the Iguana bus spent the afternoon at a wildlife reserve meditating in the forest, learning about mangroves, weeding plant beds, and spreading gravel.
Service projects varied across groups, but the overall purpose and learning was the same. Some groups volunteered at the food bank, distributing food to those in need. This was a unique opportunity to give back to the local community. “I felt empowered giving out food to the homeless people,” Dev Patel (10) said “It made me very proud and accomplished.”
On the final day, Iguana bus shared more service experiences and amazement. In the morning, they went to a beach and participated in a beach cleanup. In the evening, they sailed out to a small island to swim. Once it became dark, they moved to the bioluminescent bay where Dinoflagellates glow creating a truly magnificent effect. This was truly a once in a lifetime experience as the bioluminescent effect only exists in three places around the world. “Every activity on the trip is fun and memorable,” Ruixijing (Lori) Sun (10) said “It’s memorable which I
can’t copy in my whole life for next time”.
Before returning home, groups explored the city of old San Juan learning, spending time together, and shopping. Overall, the trip was filled with lots of exciting, new activities and impactful service projects crafting hundreds of new memories for the sophomore class. “It felt great to help others,” Bastidas said, “It was one of the main things I was excited about for the trip.”
