World Leadership School

Wedged between Mexico and Guatemala to the west, and the turquoise waters of the Caribbean to the east, Belize is a sliver of green. One of the few English-speaking countries in Latin America, it is peaceful and easy place for visitors to navigate.

Mountainous rainforests lie along Belize’s western border. From these heights, streams and rivers cascade to the drier coastal savanna below. Belize’s coast is fringed with beaches and mangrove swamps and dotted with thousands of white, sandy cayes.

There are few countries that have been as hard hit by climate change as Belize. Changes in temperature and rainfall patterns are altering Belize’s watersheds and affecting the rainforest ecosystems. Belize’s reefs are second only to those of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef and serve as a living laboratory where the effects of climate change can be scrupulously studied. It is also a place that holds important keys for unlocking a host of potential solutions.

The safety of our programs rests on the experience and skills of our Staff, Country Coordinators and Instructors, who convene at our annual training in Colorado’s Arkansas Valley.

• The Staff of World Leadership School have decades of experience working in different educational environments. Their focus is logistics, risk management, program design, professional development, and consulting.
• Our Country Coordinators live and work year round in our overseas countries. They screen our homestay families, evaluate our transport and other service providers, and provide ground support for our groups.
• Our Instructors are veteran educators with extensive international experience. They have wilderness first responder training and often have past affiliations with Peace Corps, Outward Bound, NOLS, and/or independent schools.

We strive to responsibly manage risks. Our itineraries minimize highway travel and maximize immersion in rural communities that we know well. We update our risk management protocols, integrate feedback into program design, and invest in safety and communication equipment. Despite these efforts, World Leadership School cannot guarantee safety nor can it eliminate the inherent and other risks of international student travel. For information regarding program activities and associated risks, risk management, and student and parent responsibilities, please contact our office.

“I think [this trip] planted a seed, a curiosity about the world and other cultures that will continue to grow. I think it helped John to see the difference between need and want. He was very moved by the children – their beauty, their simplicity, the generous spirit. I think that touched him a way that has softened his own heart a bit.”

— Parent from Stanley Clark School

“Not only does she want to return, she is further committed to service. This trip had a specific impact on her desired college major and thus, college choice.”

— Parent from Landon School

“Everyone really opened up, and I felt I was surrounded by friendship and trust.”

— Student from Greens Farms Academy

“I’ve always wanted to do something big in my life, and this trip helped me by showing me how.”

— Student from Holton-Arms School