In June of 2013, Saugatuck High School teamed up with Rockford High School, Kenowa Hills High School, and Lakeshore High School. Saugatuck High School sent nine travelers: Sophia (sophomore), Chase (sophomore), Tina (junior), Rachel (junior), Cammy (junior), Erin (junior), Ian (senior), John (senior), and Kendra (senior). The travelers all gathered at Saugatuck High School and loaded a bus to Detroit. From Detroit, the students took a flight to Miami and from Miami to Santo Domingo.
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The group, along with Rockford High School, prepares to depart Saugatuck High School to the Dominican Republic.
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John takes a picture with a kid in a batey.
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When they arrived, the students met everyone at the Good Samaritan Hospital that helped them on their trip. The Good Samaritan Hospital provided room and board for the travelers along with guides and drivers that helped them on their journey. After that, the travelers went to a Dominican super market and began to be immersed in the Dominican culture. Once they got familiar with their surroundings, they ended the day relaxing at the beach.
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The next day, the students woke up early and drove to sugar plantation communities to help install water filtration systems. The travelers met everyone in the villages and played with the children. The next day the travelers gathered all the supplies needed to install the water filtration systems. From there, the travelers loaded the buses and headed back to the sugarcane plantation communities. The travelers spent the next three days in the communities installing the filters and educating locals about how to operate and fix them. After a long week of hard work, the travelers packed their things, said their goodbyes to those at the Good Samaritan Hospital and headed back to Michigan.
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Rachel plays with kids from a batey.
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