Global Leadership Adventures

★★★★★Shauna McIntyre

Both of my daughters participated in GLA before 9th and 10th grade, and they absolutely loved it. They had fun while learning a lot and serving others, and I never once worried about their safety while abroad. Even the act of navigating international travel was confidence-building for them. The GLA staff made each family feel like they truly cared about our child.

★★★★★Marina Gerasimchuk

My son participated this summer in the program Peru: Service Expedition in Sacred Valley. It was his first time , and ,of course, I was a bit nervous about the whole thing. However, everything went very smooth, the GLA team did a wonderful job providing information, step by step instructions and organization. The trip was filled with interesting activities and exciting experiences. My son had a blast. Came back with wonderful memories, cultural knowledge, service hours Certificate and awesome souvenirs. Thank you GLA for this incredible opportunity and unforgettable summer!

★★★★★Emy Yoshida

I had the best time on my GLA Ghana program this summer! The bonds i made with my mentors, the local community and other teenagers are one of a kind and they helped me grow as a person. I could really see the impact that our service had on the kids we were educating, the new words they learnt, the handclap games and helpful math tricks. We were also really immersed in the Krobo Ghanaian culture and we learnt the language, songs, dances and more. I will definitely be going back next year for my 3rd year in a row!

★★★★★Laurie Thompson

Highly recommend! This was our son's first year with GLA. 15 is a tricky age where we live. The kids are too old for sleepaway camp but too young to work legally, and we really wanted our son to have a summer experience where he could expand his horizons and build friendships beyond his local high school. GLA came recommended to us by mom's on a local Facebook group and I am so happy we decided to go for it! Our son chose Costa Rica, specifically the 21 day Marine Conservation and Sea Turtle Expedition. It was an exceptional balance of hard work, contribution, exploration, team building, fun and adventure. I could see the difference in his maturity and understanding of himself in just those three short weeks. As this mom of a 15 year old boy, this is the highest compliment I could give! IYKYK :) The trip attracted a global group of kids who seemed to grow extremely close during the trip and still keep in touch. I am thrilled with our son's GLA experience and am encouraging him to go again next summer. Thank you to the staff and organizers who make this experience possible!

★★★★★Erich Laschinski

Last summer, from July 19 to August 1, 2024, I did Peru: Foundations of Global Health with Global Leadership Adventures. It was an unforgettable experience. I wasn’t sure what I was getting into, but it ended up being one of those experiences that sticks with you. I got 35 hours of community service volunteering with MedLife, a non-profit that sets up pop-up clinics in these rural Quechua villages way up in the Andes. My friends and I, all of which I’d met on the trip, worked together to bring healthcare and some basic know-how to people who don’t get much of either. It was such a real and candid experience. Every day was different. Throughout the two weeks, I was involved in different sectors of healthcare such as triage, hygiene talks, education sessions, general medicine, dentistry, and pharmacy, shadowing doctors, and jumping in where I could. The first time I took someone’s blood pressure in triage, I was a nervous wreck, but the nurse I was with just gave me this look like, “You got this,” and it clicked. Everyone on the trip wants to see every student succeed. By the end, I was handing out meds in the pharmacy like it was no big deal after a few days of experience. We also taught children how to brush their teeth which might be a small thing, but you could tell it meant a lot to them since many didn't know how. The smiles, especially from the little ones, were core in deciding what I wanted to do in my future. The people I met were one of the most unforgettable parts. I walked in not knowing anyone, and somehow I came out with friends I still talk and hang out with today. We’d laugh, mess up Spanish together, share similar passions, and just vibe after long days. It was this group that made me feel like I could handle anything. GLA set it up so I could push myself without freaking out, and I came back way more confident like... I know what I’m capable of now. If you’re thinking about GLA’s Peru program, just go for it. It’s not only about helping out (which is awesome) but about figuring yourself out and connecting with people and places you’d never expect. I’d do it again in a second, no question.