BEYOND THE CLASSROOM: NDP STUDENTS EXPERIENCE LANGUAGE AND CULTURE IN PERU

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June 29 2026

For information on admission to Notre Dame Prep, please click here.

Annual Spanish immersion trip gives middle school students and families a firsthand look at the world they study.

For 33 members of the Notre Dame Prep community, including middle school students, families and alumni, a recent journey to Peru became far more than a summer vacation.

Organized by middle school Spanish teacher and Spanish department chair Marisol Aguilar, the trip provided students with the opportunity to experience the language, history, traditions and daily life of a Spanish-speaking country firsthand.

The journey through Peru included stops in Lima, Cusco, Machu Picchu and the Amazon Rainforest, offering students experiences that connected directly to what they learn in the classroom while expanding their understanding of the world beyond it.

“Overall, this was an unforgettable trip filled with learning, adventure, friendship and memories that will last a lifetime,” Aguilar said.

The Peru trip continues an annual tradition Aguilar has developed for NDP students and families, creating opportunities for cultural immersion in Spanish-speaking countries. Previous destinations have included Costa Rica, Puerto Rico and Spain, with next summer’s planned trip taking travelers to Ecuador and the Galápagos Islands.

Learning through experience

Educational travel has long been recognized as a way for students to deepen cultural understanding by experiencing history, geography and language in real-world settings. Rather than simply reading about another culture, students interact with it directly through people, places and traditions.

For Aguilar, that connection is the purpose behind each trip.

“I usually choose a Spanish-speaking country, review the itinerary, and if I think it offers a great educational and cultural experience for middle school students, I decide to offer that trip,” she said.

While the trips include important cultural and historical experiences, Aguilar also designs them with middle school students in mind by balancing learning with memorable activities.

“Since these are middle school students, I try to combine the educational aspects of the trip with activities they’ll truly enjoy, rather than spending too much time in museums,” she said.

In Peru, that balance included exploring historic sites, experiencing local cuisine, interacting with communities and seeing some of the country’s most recognizable landmarks.

The group began in Lima, Peru’s capital city, where students visited the Basilica and Convent of San Francisco, including its historic underground Catacombs, before exploring the city’s coastal Malecón overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

The group then traveled to Cusco, the former center of the Inca Empire and one of the most culturally significant cities in South America. Located more than 11,000 feet above sea level in the Andes Mountains, Cusco provided students with a direct connection to Peru’s history and traditions.

Students also embraced local culture through food, including a sample of cuy, a traditional Peruvian dish made from guinea pigs.

Connecting with communities

One of the most meaningful experiences of the trip came away from the major landmarks.

While visiting a rural school near Cusco, NDP students and families spent time with local children, donated school supplies and shared a game of soccer together.

“The children were so excited, and everyone enjoyed playing soccer together outside,” Aguilar said. “Seeing the smiles on their faces was one of the highlights of our trip.”

The experience reflected an important element of cultural learning: understanding people and communities beyond the places students visit.

The group also visited a sanctuary where students interacted with llamas, alpacas and vicuñas before traveling by train to Machu Picchu, the historic Incan site and one of the world’s most recognizable cultural landmarks.

“Seeing pictures is one thing, but standing there in person is an entirely different experience,” Aguilar said.

Exploring the natural world

The final portion of the trip brought students into the Amazon Rainforest, where the focus shifted from ancient history to biodiversity and environmental awareness.

Traveling by canoe to an eco-lodge, students disconnected from technology and immersed themselves in the natural environment. They observed wildlife, explored the rainforest by foot and boat, and participated in a guided night walk where they encountered frogs, spiders, an owl and other rainforest species.

“The lodge itself was amazing,” Aguilar said. “There was no internet service at night, allowing us to disconnect from technology and fully enjoy nature.”

The experience gave students another perspective on global cultures and ecosystems, reinforcing the idea that learning extends well beyond the walls of a classroom.

A reflection of NDP’s global approach to learning

The Peru trip is one more example of the opportunities available to students at Notre Dame Prep as part of the school’s broader commitment to language learning and international-mindedness.

As an International Baccalaureate World School offering the IB Primary Years, Middle Years and Diploma programs, NDP emphasizes learning that encourages students to explore different cultures, perspectives and global connections.

The school’s language program follows that same philosophy, beginning with Spanish instruction in the early grades and continuing through advanced coursework. A recent NDP article on language learning highlighted the value of sustained language education, noting that studying another language supports not only communication skills but also cultural understanding and global awareness.

For Aguilar, international travel is a natural extension of that mission.

“These trips are a valuable opportunity for our students and their families to experience other cultures and countries,” she said.

The trips are optional and are not officially sponsored by NDP, but middle school Principal Brandon Jezdimir supports Aguilar’s efforts by allowing the experiences to be organized for students and families.

Since the first trip in 2018, NDP travelers have explored Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, Spain and Peru. Next summer, Aguilar is already planning the next chapter: Ecuador and the Galápagos Islands.

For students learning Spanish at Notre Dame Prep, the world is not just something to study. It can be something to experience.

 

For information on admission to Notre Dame Prep, please click here.

Comments or questions? mkelly@ndpma.org

About Notre Dame Preparatory School
"At Notre Dame Prep, we inspire our students to become the best versions of themselves. We challenge them through an experience of academic excellence, focused on active, project-based learning. We invite them to explore a world of opportunities beyond the classroom. We guide them as they grow in spirituality within a community strong in its Catholic and Marist identity."

Notre Dame Preparatory School is a private, Catholic, independent, coeducational day school located in Oakland County. Notre Dame Preparatory School's upper school enrolls students in grades nine through twelve and has been named one of the nation's best 50 Catholic high schools (Acton Institute) four times since 2005. Notre Dame Prep's middle and lower schools enroll students in pre-kindergarten through grade eight. All three schools are International Baccalaureate "World Schools." NDP is conducted by the Marist Fathers and Brothers and is accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States and the National Association of Independent Schools. For more on Notre Dame Preparatory School, visit the school’s home page at www.ndpma.org.