Students Make Connections by Disconnecting in Peru

Students: Paige Anderson, Zachary Brown, James Callahan, Colin Eaton, Olivia Forsyth, Muizz Hassanali, Jason LaMonica, Jessica Morford, Kathleen Muller-Girard, Dana Weinberg, Peter Welter. Chaperones: Brian Berger, Amanda Ersek.

Eleven Shaker Heights High School students spent their spring break far from the comforts of home —including modern technology and indoor plumbing — and immersed themselves completely in the culture of a Peruvian village.

Accompanied by Shaker history teachers Brian Berger and Amanda Ersek, the group spent four nights living in the remote village of Sacred Valley, about two hours from the closest road. The students stayed in pairs with local host families and communicated using a combination of Spanish and the local language, Quechua, as the villagers spoke no English.

The group spent three labor-filled days digging trenches, collecting rocks and mixing cement to help complete a two-year long water filtration project, which involved piping water from the top of the mountains into the families’ homes.

The trip was not all work and no play however; the travelers also zip-lined, hiked, camped and trekked through the Andes mountains, encountering natural hot springs, waterfalls, and several Incan ruins along the way.

Says Ersek, “We learned to appreciate the history of the Incan people, celebrated an Easter ceremony that had its roots in Quechua traditions, ate s’mores and sang songs around the campfire with our new Peruvian families as we disconnected from our phones and our comfortable lifestyles back home.”

To get a glimpse of the students’ immersive experience, watch senior Jessica Morford’s stunning video by clicking here.