Leadership Journeys
During the 2024–2025 school year, more than 100 students participated in travel-based learning with Calvert School’s Institute for Leadership & Purpose (ILP), embarking on leadership journeys in five locations: Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, New Mexico, and West Virginia. These trips, led by Calvert teachers in partnership with local guides and leadership experts, are “unplugged” cell phone-free experiences that foster confidence and global perspective in all students. Each one focuses on a unique set of themes based on a location’s history, culture, and climate—and on each trip, the students and instructors gather daily for reflection.
This April, 12 seventh graders traveled to Puerto Rico to learn about community engagement, cultural identity, and marine life conservation. They explored Taíno, Spanish, and Afro-Caribbean traditions and partnered with the Alliance for the Economic Development of Ceiba (APRODEC) to support hands-on projects at a community center. Students also met with conservation leaders working to restore coral reef health through sea urchin repopulation efforts. During the trip, students connected with artists, hiked in El Yunque National Forest, and kayaked on a bioluminescent bay.
“Something we will take back to Calvert is the idea that we need to protect, conserve, and value our natural resources,” students wrote in their trip blog. “Just like the bioluminescent bays and coral reefs deserve our protection, so do ecosystems closer to our home.”
This article is part of our 2025-2026 Guide to Baltimore Independent School Guide.
