MASSACHUSETTS

AMHERST

The entire trip was truly amazing, every single part! It was better then I ever imagined. Participating in this program has allowed me to see how meaningful community service is.
Alexina Prather

BOSTON

My summer was amazing. I made great friends and had the experience of a lifetime!
Sydney Gad

BOXFORD

The places you go and the people you meet are amazing. This is one of the best things I have done.
Samantha Rosenberg

Samantha had a fantastic time on her tour. The counselors and the teens were all wonderful. She has been talking nonstop about her adventures since she returned. Thank you!
Irene & Howard Rosenberg

BROCKTON

I loved the people on this trip. It was a once in a lifetime experience!
Laurence DeCastro

BROOKLINE

The community service has made me more aware of the plight of people and more committed to helping!
Ben Doughty

I really enjoyed my trip, it was rewarding and fun! I now appreciate what I have more and my horizons have widened!
Jonathan Eber

Polly had a wonderful time on Backpack Europe and did not want to come home. Thanks for providing a wonderful experience for her.
Ira & Susan Vishner

I made amazing friends. I loved the places we visited and the people I met.
Meredith Winter

This was the best summer experience that Meri has ever had!! The trip had everything, the kids were great, and she came home happy and saying it was the trip of her life.
Deborah Goldberg & Michael Winter

The Director Heidi did a fantastic job, making this European summer unforgettable
Blair Piper

CAMBRIDGE

Shayna had a wonderful time. The trip incorporated just the right mix of "cultural" activities with adventure, downtime and fun. I was very impressed with the organization, the communications we received and the amount of Europe Shayna was able to experience. Shayna loved her trip leaders, and the kids all seemed like nice kids that all got along well. Bravo for a well planned and executed trip for 15/16 year olds!
Patti Goldberger

CHESTNUT HILL

California & the Canyons was an amazing program and I had the best summer.
April Cohen

Zoe had an amazing time in Costa Rica. The adventures, Spanish language learning and community service were great. It was a trip that Zoe will never forget. Thank you!
Karen & James Hirsch

I loved the trip and I am so glad that I came. It really was the summer of my life time, especially the people. I thought the activities were great and there was always stuff to do. I liked staying in the dorms and hotels, and the camping. Thanks for everything.
Alexandra Laffer

This was a great experience for Alex this summer. She really had a wonderful three weeks!
Paul & Phyliss Laffer

HUDSON

It was my first time with Westcoast and I loved it.
Lauren Carney

LEXINGTON

During this trip I became friends with so many people and absolutely loved the staff. I came into the trip nervous about making friends but now I feel like it was easy.
Whitney Decker

LONGMEADOW

The community service program has made me more appreciative of what I have and it encourages me to do more community service and to try new things.
Randi Katz

LYNNFIELD

We were so pleased with the Director, Ken. Sophie has already told us that she wants to go on another Westcoast trip. Thank you so very much for delivering such a wonderful vacation and growth experience to our daughter.
Cheryl & David Miller

MARBLEHEAD

The staff made the summer enjoyable. They helped everyone become a family and were really hilarious at times. My favorite project was Habitat for Humanity because I felt like I was actually making a difference. It has made me want to participate again. This was the best summer of my life.
Sarah Thomas

Sarah had a great time on her trip.Your community service program gave her strength and confidence in herself. Thank you for taking such good care of her. These memories will last a life time.
Rebecca St.Onge

MASHPEE

The kids on the trip were better than I even imagined; the locations were beautiful; the staff were wonderful mentors. Thanks for giving me a fabulous 3 weeks!
Maxine Zeger

MEDFIELD

From participating in this program I have become more confident.
Ilana Wasserman

MOUNT HERMON

The program showed me that I should cherish the moment and also understand the bigger picture and this program was about the whole community!
Tung Mei Chan

NANTUCKET

My favorite service project was playing in the park with the kids. Participating on the program has made me care more about the unfortunate situations of people around the world.
Ryan Trainor

The service projects have made me more aware of the conditions that some people live in. Playing with the kids was so much fun, and the balance of touring and service was perfect!
Justin Trainor

Thank you for such a great experience for Ryan and Justin and us as parents. Everything was such a pleasure. I really appreciete how you kept in contact through emails and phone calls and the links to the photos were also a pleasant surprise. It is great to see them so quickly and to have visual references of how they are doing, so far away. This was a great experience for all of us and I would recommend it highly!
Kelli & Gary Trainor

NEEDHAM

I had a really amazing summer. There was a nice balance of community service and fun days and I feel really close to all of the friends that I made. Community service itself brings people together in a special way. You learn how to encourage one another and how to stay determined. This makes your group even closer and creates strong relationships.
Lia Masur

All reports from Todd were excellent. There was a great group of kids on this trip. We really enjoyed the pictures that were online to see. We are really happy with our choice to send Todd to Spain with Westcoast Connection -360° Student Travel.
Debbie & Peter Seresky

NEWTON

I loved this trip.
Matt Brandstein

This trip gave me a greater awareness of people's sufferings and a greater appreciation for nature and preservation. Our director Nic was fantastic - cool and reall friendly.
Lauren Bamel

Thank you for making Lauren's trip an unbelievable eye opening experience. The friendships she describes within the group are an attribute to your skill and great planning. She felt she made a difference, as she loved the children in the orphanage. Her Spanish is much improved and she was deeply touched by the older seniors of Ecuador, she spoke with them and bonded. The pictures and memories are clearly something which she will always cherish. As parents we would highly recommend your program to others in our community. Thank you again for a job well done!
Monique and Jonathan Bamel

Jessie had a fabulous experience and we are so impressed with Westcoast Connection/ 360° Student Travel.
Wendy and Danny Kraft

We had the most amazing leaders! I had the most amazing summer with Westcoast. I just can't wait to do it all over again next year!
Rebecca Fleisher

Our Director Danny was AMAZING! Really one of the best summers I've had. It was a great trip--the leaders really made it happen. The trip was an amazing balance of community service and adventure. There was variety in everything we did and everywhere we went. Our work in La Carpio was my favorite: I saw new things there that changed my perception of the world, I loved making bonds with the kids and members of the community. I also really loved the feeling of accomplishment gained by seeing the progress at Habitat for Humanity. This program showed me many ways to get involved and help and it allowed me to feel like it is possible to make a difference no matter how small.
Samantha Tye

Sam had a Great experience. She really liked the trip leaders and the kids. We are very pleased with the experience. She has had nothing but positives to report.
Ted & Kate Tye

Danny was very nice and helpful. Jenny was very caring, Bethany was always positive. This trip had the perfect ratio of service and adventure. The service was very worthwhile which made the trip very enjoyable. My favorite project was the camp at Concepcion. I feel that all the Costa Rican children and parents appreciated it and everyone was so nice. It was rewarding to put a smile on all the children's faces.
Jillian Schwartz

My favorite community service project was working with the community and children of La Carpio. This experience and things I saw in this community changed me as a person and I hope to be able to go back and continue to help the people in La Carpio and the other people of Costa Rica. This program made me appreciate my life at home a lot more. It opened up my eyes and made me aware of poverty and recognize issues outside of my own community. The way the trip was set up was fantastic and I think the number of locations we stayed at was perfect. Our Director Danny was awesome...couldn't have asked for a better trip leader. Jenny was always positive and energetic. Bethany was very responsible and sweet. All three leaders were easy to talk to or ask for help with anything. I had an awesome summer and wish the trip lasted longer!
Sarah Bikofsky

I really enjoyed every bit of community service and everything else. I definitely no longer take things for granted and I feel better about what I did and I want to help more. The Habitat for Humanity project was hard work but it was amazing looking at what we did and how much we made a difference. The staff was amazing and couldn't have been better! The amount of work and fun balanced out perfectly. The friends I made will stay with me forever. The entire program changed my life. Everybody should do it!
Noam Eilam

NEWTON CENTER

I think the program made me 100% more aware of how lucky I am to live in a safe town, have food and a healthy family and friends. Also it made me want to continue to do community service in the future. My favorite project was the work we did with the Costa Rica Humanitarian Foundation because it was the most rewarding & interesting. The staff was hilarious and really fun.
Meredith Berman

Merry had a fantastic time. She could not stop retelling stories about how much fun she had - the trip leaders, the other children, etc. We got our money's worth of fullfillment. Thank you.
Robert S. Berman

Once again one of our children had a fabulous time on your trip and Benjamin said he'd definitely go on another program. You guys definitely do it right!!!
Nancy & Mark O’Leary

Haley has only great things to say about the trip leader, counselors, and kids. It is a big step to travel alone and everyone helped to make this experience a huge success!
Debbie & David Peck

NORTHBORO

Jillian had a wonderful experience and came home with wonderful things to say about how well the program was run. She enjoyed the community service and had many meaningful experiences. She has tears in her eyes when she talks about her time with the local children.
Ariella Greenspan

SHARON

California and the Canyons was one of the most incredible experiences I have ever had a chance to participate in.
Lindsay Caplan

My daughter had the time of her life. While we used those words to our friends while she was away, she came back saying the same thing. It truly was the experience of a lifetime.
Peter Caplan

Lauren had a wonderful time and made some great friends. She was very happy with her trip director Adam. She thought he had the right amount of serious and fun for the group. Lauren had a great time and would love to do another trip!
Karen Birnbaum

The people I met changed my life forever and are the most amazing people alive. My leaders, Jasmine and Craig were the best leaders ever and are super cool.
Julia Weinstein

This was a life altering experience for Julia. She was able to discover parts of herself she never would have in terms of confidence, competence and self reflection. She was so sad to leave her group. I wish she could have stayed longer. Julia had the highest compliments about both her leaders, Craig and Jasmine. They sound like very special people. Thank you.
Ellen Weinstein

I had an amazing summer! Everyone and everything was great.
Leah Goldman

Costa Rica was the most amazing and life-changing experience I have ever had. I did not know anyone and left with 17 new best friends. I did so many adventurous activities that I never imagined doing such as waterfall rappelling, climbing trees, white water rafting, kayaking with crocodiles, hiking up a volcano, and zip lining. I became so close with the orphans at Hogar Ama and I picked up a lot of Spanish. I can't thank you enough for everything you have done for me. You gave me the opportunity to travel to such a beautiful country on an incredible tour, and I will never forget my experiences there and the people that I have met.
Anna Goodwin

I didn't really know what to expect coming into this summer but what I got out of it is more than I could have ever imagined. I made such amazing friends on this trip and I have the most amazing memories I'll never forget. I have a new perspective on everything.
Julia Fallman

Thank you for giving me another summer of a lifetime! My director Dawn was amazing. She was fair yet professional, stern yet fun, serious yet personable. This whole trip was phenomenal. The activities and projects were above my expectations. The staff was great, the friends were amazing and the touring destinations were phenomenal. This is my third trip with Westcoast and they just keep getting better. I would like to thank Westcoast Connection/360 student travel for giving me the summers of a lifetime!
Matt Shuman

The European Experience was Matt's third trip with Westcoast. His first trip Northwest Odyssey was amazing. His second trip - Community Service in Alaska was fabulous. Everything about Alaska was wonderful: the counselors, the friends, the accommodations, the excursions, and of course, all the fabulous community service projects he was able to help out with. He felt so good helping out with the various projects and making a positive difference in the lives of others. How thrilled and excited we are that this trip was -according to Matt- the best yet. We can't thank Westcoast enough for providing these amazing summer experiences. The places he visited, the work he did, the sights, activities and the wonderful group of teens and talented counselors that travel with Westcoast Connection combine to truly provide lifetime experiences and unforgettable memories. Granted each experience was so very different and unique- however- we never would have believed that European Experience could have topped his past Westcoast experiences. There is no doubt, Westcoast Connection promised and delivered the experience of a lifetime to Matt- not just once but three times.
Jay and Linda Shuman

Ben was a great director who knew how to make everyone feel safe and have an amazing time. The staff was amazing. I always felt like they genuinely enjoyed being there for us and made the summer incredible. I LOVE WESTCOAST!
Melanie Francer

My experience with Westcoast Connection was amazing. I connected with all of the tour members and staff! Westcoast provided me with the true European Experience!
Michelle Goldberg

This was the third year that Matt went on a Westcoast Connection/360° program. Matt had an outstanding experience based on the sights he saw, activities, friends that he made, and community service projects in Alaska. We believe this program had a significant impact on our son since it made him realize how lucky he is and is reflective on what he learned and saw. Jon was an outstanding Director!
Roberta Katz & John Fallon

Jordan's experience was FABULOUS!!!! Thank you for such an incredible trip. We will strongly recommend Westcoast to everyone we know, including our daughter Julia!!
Mike & Jacalyn Fallman

SOUTHBORO

Tour director Sam was so nice and accomodating. It went too fast and I had such a BLAST! I feel ready for college and completing this trip has prepared me for anything in life.
Madison Rosenwald

Our family cannot say enough about what a fabulous program you have for our two children who have experienced it. The friendships that Madison, and before her Lindsay, made have been wonderful. The counselors are fun, professional and experienced. The communication that was sent home weekly was informative and reflective of the energy and spirit of the trip. We cannot thank you enough!!
Lorie & Stuart Rosenwald

SUDBURY

This program opened my eyes to everything I'm grateful for and showed me how many people I can help. It has helped me to see how the cliché of "I can make a difference" really is true. When you put your heart and soul into a just cause the work is all worth it.
Alison Green

Everything was beyond my expectations and everyone got along so well. I liked spending time with the kids we were helping and then seeing where they lived, it was enjoyable and eye opening. This is an experience I will never forget.
Jeanne Borovick

I am VERY impressed with the program. It is incredibly well organized. I felt that the very clear lines of communication were fantastic.
Cindy Borovick

I had so much fun and made friends that will last forever.
Sarah Glickman

This trip has allowed me to see how different people in Costa Rica live. It was even more fun than I expected it to be - I didn't think that community service and language immersion could be so much fun. The balance of language, adventure & service was perfect.
Dan Green

Fabulous experience! Dan had not one negative comment. He came home and missed his traveling companions terribly! We went out shopping and he said that he found himself thinking about how to ask for what he wanted in Spanish, before he realized that he didn't have to do that at home. Thank you again for creating a never-to-forget experience for Dan. Your staff really was on top of everything and we are sure it was a huge factor in the overall success of this trip.
Robin Berman & Phillip Green

SWAMPSCOTT

Great trip!! Ethan loved every minute. The trip was an enormous success.
Amy & Adam Forman

WABAN

We were extremely pleased with the trip and will be considering another program for Halley and one of our other younger children.
Debby Belt

Fabulous experience! Chris gained so much. I really can't say enough excellent things -- the kids were tremendous and your program has given him so much in maturity, experiences and a broadened world view. Thanks so much.
Lisa Damon

WAYLAND

We had a great group of people that got along really well. Westcoast Connection is awesome.
Cameron Scari

I had no idea what to expect coming into the trip, especially because I came alone. I had a great time and met great friends. My favorite service project was Concepcion because not only did we help rebuild & paint the playground and bring life to it, but we got to hang out with the kids who were so fun and so adorable. I saw things I had never seen before when we went to La Carpio, and that was very life-changing. It made me appreciate what I have along with gaining a new outlook and perspective on what it means to help people, and charity and community service. It was all very rewarding. I thought the balance between community service, adventure, work and fun was perfect. We had a nice span of adventure in between our service projects which made it easier to focus when it came time to do the service. Our Director Danny was so much fun.
Katie Miller

WELLESLEY

Jared had the most wonderful 21 days with Westcoast Connection. The stories are amazing and he really enjoyed his new friends and counselors. Thanks for all the safe keeping of Jared and all the kids and the fun you provided them.
Beth Nast

Not only were the kids and work amazing and fun but the rest of the trip was flawless. The Safaris were a great once in a lifetime experience.
Johan Manse

The entire trip was absolutely amazing. I wouldn't change one thing. I really enjoyed going to La Carpio because it really opened my eyes to another world and it made me realize that I want to continue helping these children. The balance of community service, adventure, work and fun was absolutely perfect. I was always having fun and I worked hard as well. This trip was better than I could have ever wished for. Thank you so much! My whole trip to Costa Rica was amazing with every second well-planned out by the amazing staff. I was always having fun with all of the new best friends that I made.
Julia Geller

Julia says her trip director Danny was a perfect mix of fun and business and knew exactly how to handle the kids.
Cathy Thorn & Eric Geller

The most amazing trip ever! I wish that I could do it again!
Elizabeth Geller

WESTBOROUGH

Jenn had a great trip and experience. I was so impressed by the director Cayleigh and her kindness and knew immediately that Jenn was in great hands!
Lynne Atkinson

WEST NEWTON

This trip provided me with the chance to get better at Spanish, meet new people, explore a new country, and help others.
Lia Mitchell

WESTON

I went to camp for 5 years and Westcoast Connection was so much better because of the places we got to see.
Alexander Garnick

Thanks for an EXCELLENT trip!
Caroline Gold

Sam had a great trip! Thank you all so much. He has started telling us all of the funny stories and we can't wait to hear more, he had such a good time. We hope to see you next year!
Gretchen Atkins

I honestly had the summer of a lifetime, it was so fun. Thank you so much Westcoast Connection!
Crystal Evans

I had an amazing summer.
Dana Weintraub

My only regret is not doing a Westcoast Connection tour earlier! My favorite community service project was the Boys & Girls Club in Honolulu; it was incredible, the connections we made with the kids in only 3 days were unbelievable and I will remember them forever.
Oliver Pucker

I loved my Director Seth - he was the perfect combination of responsibility & fun.
Jenna Yogel

The community service I enjoyed most was visiting La Carpio and simply touring the city and seeing where and how they live. It made meeting the kids even more exciting and rewarding. The program made me think of the world around me much differently and also how I will treat my peers will be more generous and cautious. The balance was perfect. I thought this trip was truly life-changing and so amazing. Thank you!
Jessica Gottlieb

Great job! Max had a fabulous time. Year after year you outdo yourselves. Thank you.
Jerri & Bob Shaer

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