A group of students taking Spanish courses at Arlington High School spent their 2025 spring break on a service project in Guatemala, helping the community. 

The trip provided a unique opportunity to witness first-hand the culture they have been learning in class. Organized through the Spanish program, the experience gave the students a chance to apply their language skills while contributing through construction projects such as sinks, moving blocks in under-resourced areas. 

“I heard about last year, and thought, ‘Why not?’” Colton Dodge (‘26) said. “We did a lot of construction, and we taught some of the kids some English. The kids loved us and they were very appreciative of what we did there.”

During the week-long mission, students had the chance to work directly with the local communities. One of their projects included building new sinks and water basins for schools. 

“Our mission project was helping to build, like, sinks in a school because they didn’t have proper sinks, but it was also interacting with the community,” Ben Bogart (‘26) said. “It was really eye opening, I think it would be cool to go again and see it through the lens I do now that I got as a result of it. I’m really grateful for everything I have. Because, like, some of the stuff that I take for granted isn’t common there.”

The trip was led by Spanish teacher Ken Christensen, also known as Señor Sey. He emphasized while the group went to serve, they came back learning more. 

“I wanted them to have an international experience, but to see how when they come back, they’re a little more thankful for what they have and maybe have more purpose in their life,” Christensen said. “You think, ‘I’m going to go help people’, but what happens is they end up helping you. When you come back, your glasses look a little different.”