Foreign Language Academy Visit | March 22–23, 2026
From March 22 to 23, we hosted 25 teenagers (13-14-year-olds) from the Foreign Language Academy in Tennessee, traveling with Vamonos Tours and accompanied by chaperone Cruz Rodriguez. The group was led by school staff Michelle Aguirre-Hill, Lauren Jenkins, Michelle Aguirre, Ruth Aguilera, and Tim Nash.
They arrived in a wet stretch of weather and went straight to work. Rain was constant, the ground saturated, and conditions demanding. The focus of the work was the Ethnobotanical Trail. Working alongside crew leaders 3t, Jon, and Mercury, the group took on essential tasks across the trail system. This included cutting back aggressive razor grass (Scleria secans), a perennial scrambling sedge in the Cyperaceae family. Since Hurricane Maria opened the canopy, increased light has driven rapid growth of razor grass and vines, making this ongoing work critical.
They also pruned along the trail corridor, opened new sections of trail, and built drainage to stabilize the path and move water effectively through the landscape.
The drainage work was especially important. In heavy rain, unmanaged water quickly damages trails, leading to erosion and long-term degradation. What they built will hold through future storms and continued use.
Despite the conditions, the group kept a strong pace. No complaints, no slowing down. Just steady work in the rain. The team stayed for two nights and, in that short time, made a clear and lasting impact on the trail system. Monique Nieves (below) kept everyone well fed with excellent meals throughout their stay.
This is the kind of work that matters here. Each group steps into something already underway, and what they contribute becomes part of a larger system that supports the forest, the trails, and those who come after. We really appreciate the effort, the attitude, and the willingness to work under real conditions.
