Volunteers

Dedham High School, 14-17 Feb 2026

In 2011, Abby Zuckerman arrived at Las Casas de la Selva as a young volunteer. She was 20 years old at the time, curious, open, and ready for hard work in the rainforest. See image below. She really valued that time, and that early experience stayed with her. Years later, now a biology and environmental science teacher, Abby returned…this time with her students.

Dedham High School students came to Las Casas de la Selva for a four-day immersive stay. They arrived during a very rainy time and were quickly introduced to the reality of tropical fieldwork: heavy rains, slick trails, and humid days.

The students took on meaningful, hands-on tasks that directly support ongoing forest restoration efforts. Under the guidance of crew leaders 3t and Jon, they worked in the nursery, in the forest pruning bamboo, trimming trees, and clearing debris and razor glass from areas around saplings and new areas being prepared for new tree planting. It was real work—physical, muddy, and often challenging—but the group met it with energy, humor, and resilience.

Behind the scenes, the days were anchored by the kitchen team. Monique Nieves and Jagüey kept everyone fed, warm, and grounded, creating a shared space where conversations from the field carried into the evenings over meals and laughter.

Despite the rain—or perhaps because of it—the experience was deeply connective. The students lived the rhythms of the rainforest, learned what ecological restoration looks like on the ground, and gained insight into what it means to work collectively in a living system that does not bend to convenience.

One of the unexpected highlights of the week was the talent show, improvised in an afternoon after a long morning working in the rain. What started casually quickly turned into a joyful, slightly chaotic celebration of creativity and courage. Students sang, played music, told stories, and performed skits, while others surprised everyone with humor and sheer nerve. Laughter echoed through the forest, barriers dissolved. In that moment, the rainforest was not just a place of labor and learning, but a shared home—alive with voices, confidence, and the kind of connection that only comes when people feel safe enough to be fully themselves.

For us, there is something especially meaningful about this visit. Abby’s return, now as an educator bringing her own students, reflects the long arc of experiential learning. What begins as a formative experience for one young volunteer can, years later, ripple outward to inspire dozens more.

We are grateful to Abby, to Dedham High School, and to every student who showed up ready to work, adapt, and engage fully with the forest—even in the rain.

We also extend our thanks to Cruz Rodriguez and Maritza from Vámonos, whose coordination and helped make this visit possible. Their care, logistics, and attention to detail ensured that the group could focus fully on learning, working, and experiencing the rainforest in a way that was both safe and deeply engaged.

Photos by 3t Vakil, and Abby Zuckerman, Feb 2026

Update from Abby: “Thrity the parents and students have not stopped raving about their experience at Las Casas and how formative and impactful it was for them. We are so lucky that you have built such a special place!”

Thank you, Abby. What makes Las Casas de la Selva special, comes from teamwork and the cumulative efforts of many people over more than forty years—staff, volunteers, students, scientists, cooks, crew leaders, and caretakers, past and present. It’s a living place shaped by shared work, persistence, and care across generations, and we’re grateful your students became part of that continuum, even if only for a short time.

How satisfying!