BOSTON, April 30, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — On April 26, 30 students and six chaperones from the Boston area returned from Panama after a week spent finishing two new classrooms, painting four murals, and refurbishing two playgrounds, working alongside local families, and connecting with students in poor, rural communities.
The trip is the latest as part of an eight-year partnership between School the World, a Boston-based nonprofit that works in Central America to fight extreme poverty through a comprehensive, community-based approach to education, and the Ron Burton Training Village (RBTV), a New England youth development organization. Since 2018, more than 120 students have participated in this collaboration.
The trips provide unique opportunities for RBTV students to apply leadership skills in a global context, working alongside rural communities to expand access to quality education.
During the trip, students partnered with local families, educators, and community leaders to transform school spaces into safer, more welcoming environments where children can learn, play, and thrive. The work is part of School the World’s five-year, intensive approach to strengthening public education systems in underserved communities by providing teacher training, parent training, scholarships, and stocking classroom libraries.
“Our work is about building strong school systems with communities, not for them,” said Kate Curran, Founder and CEO of School the World. “This partnership gives students the opportunity to be part of that work in a meaningful way while learning from the communities they serve.”
For RBTV students, the experience builds on years of preparation. Through its year-round programming, RBTV focuses on training youth to achieve their purpose, despite life’s challenges, through education, leadership, physical wellness, social advancement and spiritual growth. In the months leading up to the trip, students also take on the responsibility of fundraising to support their participation. School the World awards scholarships to individuals of $2,500, and students fundraise $1,000 that goes towards the work done on the ground.
“This experience challenges our students in ways they cannot replicate at home,” said Phil Burton, Executive Director of the Ron Burton Training Village. “They step into unfamiliar environments, work hard, and learn to lead with humility. What they gain is perspective on their own lives, their education, and the world around them.”
For students like Katherine Gweth, a high school senior from Canton, the impact is deeply personal. After traveling to Guatemala last year through the program, she described the experience as “eye-opening,” particularly the opportunity to build relationships with local children and families.
“I came back more independent and more grateful,” Gweth said. “It made me think differently about the opportunities I have and how I want to use them.”
More information for high school students looking to participate in School the World’s service learning opportunities this July is available on the website.
Contact: Lara Hoyem 617-867-9500 lara.hoyem@schooltheworld.org
