Visit Global Leadership Adventures (GLA)'s website to learn more about their programs abroad
Overview
Overview
With a history and heritage in global education, GLA packs itineraries with leadership development, volunteering and the delight of taking learning off the beaten path. Our unique program design produces what many students call a life-changing experience.
GLA provides high school students the opportunity to authentically discover another culture, safely engage in high adventure and participate in grassroots service projects that directly impact global communities.
The long-term partnerships we have developed with local individuals, community leadership and action-oriented organizations continue to be the backbone of our programs.Helping them deliver sustainable impact while transforming the way we look at the world and ourselves is what gets us fired up every day at GLA.
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Mary Sparks
20 Jul 2024
Our experience with Global Leadership Adventures (GLA) has been outstanding. From the very beginning, the entire process was well-organized and thorough. The GLA team provided excellent communication, ensuring we were well-informed and prepared every step of the way. My daughter recently participated in the GLA program in Ghana, and it was an incredible experience for her. The program was meticulously planned, with a perfect balance of educational activities, cultural immersion, and community service. She felt safe, supported, and inspired throughout her journey. The dedication and professionalism of the GLA team made this experience truly memorable for my daughter. We are grateful for the opportunity and highly recommend GLA to other families seeking meaningful and impactful travel experiences for their children.
Rebekah Olsen
15 Aug 2022
My 16-year-old son recently completed GLA's service travel program to Hawaii, and it was a wonderful experience from start to finish. The GLA website provided very thorough and clear information leading up to the trip. When we did have questions, the GLA staff was responsive and knowledgeable. During the trip, my son enjoyed the service and travel activities out in the community as well as the social interaction with the leaders and other teens on the trip. As a parent, I truly appreciated the student-written blog updates which allowed those of us at home to read about and see pictures of the daily activities. When my son came home, he could not stop talking about all of the experiences he had with a wonderful group of people. He made forever memories and experienced growth while he was away. I would highly recommend this program to others!
Andrea Mulholland
15 Aug 2022
My son's experience with GLA was incredible. He made many new friends, gained some independence and felt that he was making a difference in the world. As a parent, sending our son so far away was a bit unnerving at first, but the information we received and all of the resources we were provided with helped to put us at ease. He (and now our daughter) plan to do another program next summer. Amazing experience.
Sonya Carnes
15 Aug 2022
My daughter’s experience with GLA was amazing from start to finish. Pre departure, staff was easy to reach and happily answered all of our questions. I felt the trip was extremely well organized and my daughter had an absolutely transformative experience. The leaders and mentors were excellent and the program provided the perfect balance of service, sight seeing and cultural activities. She returned home energized, full of insights and confidence, and excited to pursue a career in health care. The communication through the daily blogs during the trip offered a wonderful window into what she was experiencing and I felt confident that she was in good hands. I highly recommend GLA!
Natalie
21 Jul 2022
Our introverted son had an amazing time! His group did community service work on a playground for the local children. Their work included painting, digging, planting, laying sod, putting up a fence, etc. They had many fun excursions like zip-lining, river rafting, surfing, shopping, sight-seeing, etc. They had smaller group sessions for Spanish lessons and practiced speaking Spanish with the locals. It was so nice to hear/see our son relaxed, happy, and carefree. We were impressed with how organized, accessible, helpful and prompt every GLA staff member was, from the moment we attended open house to the registration process/portal, packing/preparing for the trip and throughout the entire duration of program. There is a wealth of information on the GLA website and portal. During the program, we were able to follow their activities and see photos on a blog that is written by the students on a regular basis. We love that GLA promotes independence, leadership, and the importance of community service and team work in our teens. Thank you to the entire GLA staff for a wonderful experience and for all of your hard work and dedication!!
Lora Khosh Morse
9 Jul 2022
Wow! Our 15 year old daughter had an extraordinary experience with GLA! It was her first time traveling on her own, so we were a little apprehensive to send her so far, but we felt good about GLA's commitment to safety, and we loved the range of experiences and service component of the trip. This is not just a teen travel program, but is so much more. Our daughter shared bits of the reflective conversations led by the very capable and kind leaders and mentors during the course of her trip. To provide an example of GLA's customer service, our daughter took an inhaler with her on the trip. A few days into the trip, we received a call that she had mentioned the inhaler to her trip leaders and they were wondering if she needed any additional support. In addition to working with elephants, and children, the students took a Thai cooking class, took a Thai boxing class, visited several Buddist temples, shopped at markets, etc. The kind and capable leaders were fantastic role models, guides and mentors. Thank you GLA! Well done!