Teachers Steffanie and Aaron Portenga will be taking a select amount of students on an out-of-country trip to Chile and Argentina in June of 2026. This trip contains many exciting excursions that will provide the opportunity to see and explore new things.  Let’s take a look into the details and what Steffanie and Aaron have to say about it 

Who Can Attend: Anyone currently enrolled in high school or will be in high school by May of 2026

What The Trip Entails: A ten-day-long tour of various parts of Chile and Argentina 

Where Students Will Visit: Various parts of Chile and Argentina including Santiago, Valparaiso, Calama, Moon Valley, and the Atacama Salt Flats

When It Will Take Place: June of 2026

Why You Should Sign Up: A great way to meet some new people, travel and explore new places, and immerse yourself in different cultures

They Said It: “It’s more of an eco-tourism trip where we do some hiking up into the mountains and it will then we also will spend some time in larger cities like Santiago Chile for example, where we learn some of the customs of the people there and eat some of their cuisines and learn about the people that live there.” Steffanie Portenga said. “It’s kind of like both. It’s not just in the city, just walking around sightseeing and having walking tours. It’s also going out in the countryside, walking up into volcanoes and climbing mountains and seeing all the views from there.”

“The students come back understanding that different cultures and different people live in a different way than we do. I think it makes them come back with a better appreciation for not only what we have here, but also for the fact that there are other ways of living that are perfectly good, right?” said teacher Aaron Portenga.

For more information, Steffanie and Aaron’s contact information is listed below as well as a helpful presentation geared toward answering any questions you may have. 

Steffanie Portenga: [email protected] 

Aaron Portenga: [email protected] 

Informational Presentation: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1NSfcS2etLiihMxNP40-rZdgcI10dp6Mg/edit#slide=id.p2