Exchanges
Youth and Educational Exchange
During Youth and Educational exchanges, inbound students are hosted by local families for a two week duration. Students participate in science-focused exploration and learning with Rocky Mountain National Park, meet the Mayor of Estes Park, visit historic sights and attractions, volunteer with local organizations, and take excursions such as horseback riding, and rock climbing, and try local cuisine. Outbound students will have a similar experience visiting Monteverde, Costa Rica. They will experience the Monteverde Cloud Forest ecosystem, meet local government officials, visit locations of interest and the public library EPSCA has historically supported, and excursions such as touring local coffee, chocolate, and sugar cane farms, ziplining, horseback riding, and local cuisine.
Business & Trade Exchange
“Business and Trade” exchanges will focus on local tourism and relationships with nearby National Parks. Leaders in tourism, elected officials, nonprofit organization leaders, members of EPSCA, teachers and staff from the Town of Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park will be invited to participate in this first exchange of its kind.
Relationship building and establishing a strong foundation for understanding future opportunities for collaboration are the focus of this exchange to Monteverde, Costa Rica. Inbound delegates may have the opportunity to visit local trades and businesses such as breweries and fine art galleries, recreation activities like rock climbing, mountain coaster, high ropes courses, as well as tours and moderated discussions with Rocky Mountain National Park, retail establishments, and the Stanley Hotel. Outbound delegates may have the opportunity to have a similar experience in Monteverde participating in tours of local farms, cafes and restaurants, and recreation opportunities such as night walks, hanging bridge tours, canopy tours, and guided bird watching. Meetings with the Monteverde Cloud Forest, a tour with management at the Belmar Hotel, and a reintroduction to the library project will establish relationships with Monteverde to build upon for future exchanges.
Both municipalities are reliant on eco-tourism and have had their own experiences with resiliency through the pandemic and natural disasters. Delegates will have discussions focused on a mutual reliance on the health of their natural environment, the relationship and dependency on National Parks, and the delicate balance of tourism management. While participating in these exchanges, select delegates will meet with local elected officials, nonprofit leaders, and key stakeholders to reinforce future relationships.
