When and how long is the Summer 2026 HS Pilot Program to Cuenca, Ecuador?

The trip is scheduled from Monday, June 1, 2026 to Thursday, June 25, 2026. Students will be abroad for 3.5 weeks. In future summers, the trip will likely extend a week or so longer.

Who can participate and how many slots are available?

Students who have completed the 9th, 10th, 11th, or 12th grade of a U.S. high school are eligible to register. A minimum of eight (8) students is required for the trip to take place. Since this is an inaugural offering of the program, a maximum number of twelve (12) students will be able to register.

High school students currently studying in any of the U.S. states and/or territories are welcome to register. The trip is not restricted to students from Indiana schools..

How much will the trip cost?

We have recently finalized the program cost, and it will be $5,500, plus international flights (traditionally $1000-1200 round-trip). Payment and registration will be handled through Globility Education & Travel (this website- see payment page) in partnership with Fundación Taylor del Ecuador.

Please see the payment page for more of a breakdown and explanation of rates.

Will there be additional costs beyond the program fee and international airfare?

The only additional costs would be excess airline baggage charges, any necessary passport renewals, and souvenir/snack spending money ($200-300 would likely be sufficient for a 3.5-week trip). Travel insurance and all in-country domestic flights and transportation are included in the program fee.

As a reminder, Ecuador uses the U.S. dollar as its currency.

Are there scholarship/ grant opportunities available?

Given the inaugural nature of the program, there are currently no scholarship or grant opportunities available. The hope is to have such funds available for future summer trips someday.

Is it currently safe to travel to Ecuador?

“Having now traveled to Ecuador fifteen (15) times since 2008, I can say with 100% confidence and transparency that, for the past seventeen (17) years, I have always found both Cuenca and the Amazonian region of Ecuador to be safer than most major U.S. cities, including Indianapolis.” Brandon Fitzsimmons

As Jim Mulholland, former Executive Director of local Indianapolis non-profit CoCoDa, used to say when promoting his student-immersion trips to rural El Salvador and Nicaragua, "Not visiting rural El Salvador or Nicaragua because of crime and violence in the country's capital cities is like not going to the state of Illinois because of the crime and violence in some of Chicago's neighborhoods."

The same applies to Ecuador - a country often considered far more stable and prosperous than most of its Central American neighbors. 

Virtually all of the "bad press" in recent years has drawn attention to crime and violence in the country's coastal cities and some sectors of Quito (a massive city of 2 million-plus). Over my nearly two decades visiting Ecuador for anywhere from a week to six months, Cuenca and the Amazonian region of the country have not suffered any noticeable impact from the troubles of its larger (and coastal) cities. The current Ecuadorian administration is also very vigilant about making Ecuador, a consistently-growing tourist destination, as safe as possible.

During the three Sycamore MS trips of recent summers, there have been zero (0) reports of crime or lack of safety in the surrounding communities we have visited.

Can parents register for this program?

No. In order to maximize the student immersion experience, there will be no parent program offering included. However, parents are certainly welcome to fly to Cuenca and visit in the background at any point during the program's duration. As always, I am happy to be a resource for parents who would like to plan a concurrent visit to the area while their student(s) are there.

Can students pair up together with host families?

YES, this option will be available, though not in any way necessary. College students do not pair up with host families with the Fundación's Cuenca programs, though almost all Sycamore MS students do. High schoolers will have the opportunity to pair up or go solo, as they feel comfortable.

Since this is a program open to students from all U.S. high schools, there is no guarantee that a student will be paired with a friend, unless they apply contemporaneously and request this. Keep in mind that it may or may not work to a student's immersive advantage to be paired with a close English-speaking friend.

All that to say, this program IS open to all students, so former Sycamore students can invite new non-alumni friends from their high schools to register for and participate in this program. 

If interested, where do we go from here?

Please go to the registration tab and fill out the registration form.

The registration process will remain open through March 2026, though earlier commitment allows for earlier preparation.

In the meantime, please feel free to register for our newsletter (scroll down to fill out the newsletter form information) contact me, Brandon, by email ( info@globilityeducation.com) OR phone (317-908-8030) with questions, thoughts, concerns, etc.