Camas High School (CHS) has offered multiple school-affiliated trips in the past to places like Greece and Japan. These trips allow students to experience immersive cultural exchange and give unique opportunities to explore different countries beyond the Camas community.
In the upcoming Spring 2025 school year, CHS journalism and yearbook teacher Kate Gooding has planned a trip to the Dominican Republic. Gooding hopes that this trip will add an element of service, unlike past trips.
Aside from giving back to the community, Gooding hopes that students will be able to research the ecology of local coral reefs.
“With this one, I wanted to give students an opportunity to do something where they were giving back,” Gooding said, “I know in the past they’ve had access to the courts for kids trips but I wanted to provide something different.”
Students who attended the Greece trip enjoyed experiencing a different culture and observing historic landmarks.
“It was really interesting learning about all the history of the historical places we visited. I was definitely more into history than a lot of the other students, but I just thought learning about new places is cool,” CHS senior Anne McLaren said.
Gooding’s hope for the Greece trip was that students would be able to connect with students from other high schools, but unfortunately, that did not happen. She anticipates students will be able to connect with other communities more on the Dominican Republic trip. 
CHS senior Angelo Luchini appreciated the relationships and bonds he made while on the Greece trip, along with having the opportunity to venture out of the country, which he had never done before the Greece trip.
“I think it’s a really cool and fun experience, especially going with your friends and with teachers like Ms. Gooding who I’m really close with and really good friends with,” Luchini said.
Gooding believes that it is very important for students to experience life outside of Camas. It allows for students to appreciate what they have while also seeing how others live and see famous world heritage sights and landmarks.
“It creates an expanded worldview that [students] bring into the rest of their life,” Gooding said.
If interested in this unique eco-volunteer experience, join Gooding at the informational meeting on Tuesday, May 14 from 6:00-7:00 p.m. This meeting will give information on dates and other important parts of the trip.