Imagine you’re standing on a giant rock overlooking a body of water unknown to you and being dared to jump by your Middle School classmates. Not your typical school day! But that’s exactly where A found herself one afternoon during the TNCS Middle School capstone trip to Puerto Rico. La Piedra Escrita (“written rock”) sits in the Rio Saliente in Jayuya and is covered in Taíno petroglyphs from the pre-Columbian era. La Escrita partially blocks the path of the river, forming a tidal pool safe for swimming.
Did she jump? She sure did—and just like her four companions, in many more ways than just that one. The Middle School capstone trip isn’t just the close to a student’s career at The New Century School or a celebratory send-off. While it most certainly checks those boxes very nicely, it’s also an inflection point. It’s the edge of the rock before the massive leap forward into the future with all its big life changes including high school, the next phase of growing up, and discovering who they are.
Immersed sat down with the five TNCS middle schoolers on their return to ask them three questions: What did you like most about the trip? What did you learn? What surprised you? The ensuing conversation was by turns funny, moving, and—not going to lie—sometimes confusing! Ultimately, what emerged was a tale of personal and collective growth.
What Did You Like Most?
The jungle tour was a highlight for both E and P—two swimming spots, water slides carved into the rock, natural pools fed by the forest. For S, Old San Juan drew genuine awe, particularly its architecture and layered history. A, of course, enjoyed conquering the rock, and Z got a kick out of watching that drama unfold. Collectively, the five gave Profé J. props for her cooking, especially her pasta dishes.
Speaking of food, S and E also mentioned how much they actually enjoyed the mofongo they had anticipated trying. This Puerto Rican staple made of mashed plantains and chicharrón is typically paired with meat or seafood; S had his with mahi mahi, and E chose octopus. Delicioso!
And how about their chaperones, Profé J. and Mr. Callahan? It’s hard to pick just one thing!” exclaimed Mr. Callahan. “From a scheduled activity perspective, I really enjoyed the tour of Hacienda Buena Vista and working with Para la Naturaleza to plant patchouli. I had never been to the island before, so I really loved seeing all of the wildlife and absorbing the culture of the place.”
For Profé J., a longtime lover of the island, many things tied for top billing including just being back. “The bomba percussion class was really cool,” she said. “Beto, the teacher, was really dynamic and exciting, and I had never done that. I also really enjoyed the planting; it was nice to be a part of that experience. We also got to hike up to the top of the mountain and see a beautiful view with horses below.” The beach was also a high point.
What Did You Learn?
“We got to learn how to play rhythms,” said S. “And also learn about the origins of how bomba was created.” It’s no surprise that this experience comes up again and again from different perspectives because in some ways, it represented the walls between the curriculum and the world dissolving. The music they play in Profé J.’s music class; the Spanish they have practiced since their time at TNCS began; and the Hispanic history, culture, and geography they learn in the classroom all suddenly had real-world context, and it made an impression.
E spoke about the kayaking excursion on bioluminescent Laguna Grande. On finding out that the glow comes from microscopic organisms called dinoflagellates living in the water, he did some independent research to find out more.
Z talked about speaking Spanish. Not studying it. Speaking it—to real people, in real situations, in a place where it mattered. “It felt amazing,” she said. Was she nervous at first? “Yeah. But the more I did it, the easier it got.” She added, laughing, “But don’t test me.”
P talked about iguanas—well, the service learning to be more precise. On the driest stretch of the island called Cabo Rojo, the group spent one blazing morning planting vegetation as part of an effort to stabilize the soil and reduce iguana tunneling through roads. This is a problem for fire trucks trying to navigate the area (the climate makes it especially fire prone). “We did real community service,” said P, a little awestruck, as she realized their efforts were going to have real and important impacts.
The history of Old San Juan was A’s learning experience, and, indeed, many claim that it’s like traveling back in time with its 16th-century Spanish vibes (blue cobblestone streets!). It also just happens to be the oldest city in America.
Their collective aha moment was that P “is a really good singer,” a fact that she had kept somewhat hidden, not being a lover of the spotlight. Apparently, some duets with Mr. Callahan even happened (alas, no recordings were made).
Mr. Callahan says he “learned a lot about the reverence that Puerto Rican people have for the island and the culture that came before them. Even chatting with our Uber drivers, they would be so excited to share stories and ask what we already knew about PR.”
Profé J. took a more reflective approach to this question, reaching for insight about the trip as a whole: “I was refamiliarized with the amount of emotional range possible for a middle school group within the context of a day. And that contradictions happen often. And that the learning process is an arduous one.” At this point in the conversation, as if on cue, A piped up to announce, “I got so many bug bites on my legs” to which non sequitur Profé J. remarked, “I’m trying to think, and they’re making me laugh.” She regained composure to conclude: ”I think gratitude is very important. I didn’t necessarily learn that, but I was reminded of it. It’s something I always practice when I go to the island, just remembering how grateful I am to be able to be there as a visitor.”
What Surprised You?
E came right out with, “The guy with the snake that showed up,” prompting laughter and related chatter. Evidently, a man pretended to be about to throw his pet python at the kids at Las Escrita. S was surprised by the number of Puerto Ricans who speak English. With TNCS students learning Spanish, communication was usually a breeze. They did not forfeit their opportunity to use their Spanish-speaking skills—they just didn’t realize how much English is also spoken on the island.
A says the “bugs” were a bit of a surprise, by which she was referring to the mosquitos. P mentioned the cats—“there were a lot of cats.” A chimed in to say they named one of them Bob, and she plans to “go back for him.” For Z, the surprise was that Spirit Airlines shut down days after they returned home on a Spirit flight!
Mr, Callahan says, “I was surprised with how we were treated when we left San Juan and were more immersed in local Puerto Rican’s day-to-day activities. Everywhere we went, our middle schoolers found people to chat and joke with, even if there was a language barrier. People wanted to get to know them and share their spaces with us, which I found beautiful.”
Profé J., for her part, grew a bit nostalgic, recalling driving the group to some of her favorite places. She says she and Mr. Callahan complemented each other’s strengths well and had already grown very comfortable working together over the school year. “It was a great trip, and we had so much fun. We knocked it out of the park in terms of planning activities—we did so much!”
Now That They’re Back Home…
Even when prompted, the group was reticent about any larger lessons they learned (to be fair, they were eating lunch and maybe not in the most reflective mood), but it was crystal clear that the trip made a huge impact on them. They were already beginning to connect what they did to what it meant, for example. Another thing that stood out was their strengthened bond—they finished each others’ sentences or added color and additional detail to an experience one was describing. They invented a game called “Granny” that they played each night in their respective AirBnBs. More will surface as the days go on, giving them additional time to reminisce. This experience will not only stay with them as a cherished memory, it has changed them … for good.
This post is the second in a two-part series on the TNCS middle school’s fifth capstone trip, taken April 23–30, 2026. Read Part 1, ¡Puerto Rico, Aquí Vamos! TNCS Middle Schoolers Head to La Isla del Encanto!, for their anticipation and preparation ahead of their departure.
