This Global Education Squad to Costa Rica is led by Spanish teacher Janet Emack. The group will partner with a local school or daycare to improve educational outcomes. The group will stay at our private and safe home-base accommodations in Santa Cruz, Guanacaste where our local professional staff provide all transportation, food, lodging, and guided activities. The group will spend each weekday morning at a local school or daycare completing valuable small construction projects and classroom support. Each afternoon the group will embark on fun and engaging guided cultural and adventure activities around Santa Cruz. During the week the group will enjoy a zip-line adventure and on the weekend a full day of beach activities including surfing, kayaking and snorkeling.

Steps to register for your trip at your webpage on Empowered:

1. Go to the webpage for your group and click on the button that says "Volunteer with Us" on your webpage. When registering on Empowered for the first time you will be directed to take the additional step of registering with Empowered first and you do so by clicking "Join Now" (lower right) on the green Empowered page. When registering with Empowered use the name of the person going on the trip and any email and password you choose. You will need to verify your enrollment in Empowered at the email address you provide.

2. Once you're registered and logged into Empowered (you can tell by looking to the far right side on the top red banner), go back to the same group page and click 'Volunteer with Us' again on the page. You will then be directed to the Participant Registration Form. You must fill out the "Participant Information Section" down to "Complete your Registration" and then scroll down to the bottom and click "Save". You can complete the rest of the information and forms at a later date by returning to your profile page (accessed via the tab on the blue bar on the top to the far right where it says "Hello, your name") and then go to "Initiatives" tab on your profile page and select "Edit Signup Form".

3. Once a volunteer is successfully registered on the trip you should see your profile appear on the group initiative page. In order to make a payment for an individual or the group contribution, you again go back to the group page and click "Donate Now". You will be directed to a screen that will prompt you to make a payment/donation to a specific volunteer or the group/general fund. Please note when making a payment you're given the option to waive credit card fees by unchecking the box after putting an amount.