Students recount Costa Rica conservation work; district honors seniors, staff and equity champions

At the District 204 Board of Education meeting, students and staff who traveled to Costa Rica in March described hands‑on service and research projects that included water‑quality testing, white‑water rafting and volunteering to protect leatherback sea‑turtle nests by collecting eggs for researchers.

Staff member Angela Betel and student presenters showed slides and recounted fieldwork, telling the board the group collected scientific measurements for researchers and assisted with sea‑turtle nest protection. Administrators said the trip expanded classroom learning through experiential research and service work.

The board also read a resolution recognizing the Class of 2026 and formally declared Wednesday, May 20, 2026 as Senior Scholarship Day in the district. Separately, the board presented the Quarter 4 Vita Plena Award to Dinora Balys Savickiene, a paraeducator who supports multilingual students; during her remarks Dinora described arriving in the U.S. from Lithuania and reflected on her family’s journey in schools and work.

The meeting included the inaugural presentation of the Michael Thomas Student Equity Champion Award, named for former board member Michael Thomas. The board honored Chika (transcript spelling varies) for sustained student leadership in equity, inclusion and student voice work.

Board members and administrators praised student leaders and staff for community engagement, and student representatives Ria and Rohan closed their report by thanking the board for the opportunity to serve. The meeting then moved into the business agenda covering policy and budget items.