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Two teachers will have the chance to win a trip to Guatemala with The Pulsera Project to meet the artisans, activists, and communities behind this unique project in addition to $1,000 in Vista Higher Learning language and literacy resources for their school or classroom. Show how the Pulsera Project has helped engage your students with a meaningful service-learning opportunity and the chance to learn about other cultures for a chance to win.
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Applications must come in the form of a video (less than two minutes long) showing how pulsera sales have impacted your students, focusing on the project’s core values of humility, solidarity, self-awareness, and an understanding of economic inequality.
Applicants will also submit a 200 word or less writeup with photos of how their pulsera sale impacted their school community. Winning applications will be selected based on how well they demonstrate student/community impact and engagement, understanding and implementation of pulsera core values, use of educational materials with their students and years of service with the project. Quality, creativity and video editing will be considered, but the content of the video is the main focus.
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All applicants must host or be a part of a pulsera sale in their school to be eligible for the Vista video contest. It is 100% free to lead a pulsera sale, which includes all necessary materials along with a wide range of educational resources to use in your classroom as well.
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Learn more about signing up and bringing a pulsera sale to life at this link.
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This eight-day trip includes airfare and all in-country costs. Spend eight whirlwind days exploring the richness of Guatemala, from the bustling streets of Antigua and Ciudad Guate to the vibrant towns dotting the shores of Lake Atitlán, all through the lens of the Pulsera Project’s partners and artisans. Weaving demonstrations, permaculture tours, explorations of Guatemala’s indigenous cultures, off-the beaten path experience, and much more will fill this life-changing adventure, led by Pulsera Project staff, co-founders and volunteers.
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• Participants must reside in the United States.
• Participants must have completed a pulsera sale through their school by the deadline.
• Only one participant per school may apply.
• Winner will be chosen by The Pulsera Project & will be announced jointly on social media by May 1st
• By registering, participants consent to the use of their name and likeness in Vista Higher Learning and the Pulsera Project marketing initiatives and social media sites.
• By registering, participants agree to all terms and conditions.
• Anyone whose face appears in the submission video must complete a liability release form.
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CONTEST OVERVIEW
APPLICATION DETAILS
THE TRIP
ELIGIBILITY
SIGN UP FOR A PULSERA SALE
Itinerary Overview
We will begin our trip in Guatemala City. Pulsera employees will pick you up from Aurora airport and ride along with you to our beautiful lodging.
We’ll then take a 3-4 night trip up to Panajachel, a beautiful town right on the edge of Lago Atitlán. Days at Lago Atitlán usually begin & end with a boat ride to one of the pueblos around the lake that are some of the most vibrant places on earth, steeped in tradition and unimaginable beauty. These towns are also where many of our artisan & social impact partners are based.
After Lake Atitlan, we'll head to Antigua, Guatemala, one of the true gems of Central America. En route from one area to the next, we’ll stop to visit different project partners and artists. ​
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The daily trip itinerary will be finalized in early 2025, but you can look at previous itineraries from 2019, 2022, and 2023, and 2024. You can also get a glimpse of the trip from NSE’s scholarship recipient in 2022 here, see an amazing interactive retelling of 2023's trip thanks to NSE scholarship recipient Cara Buchiarelli, and read a great reflection of the 2024 trip from participant Kimberly Tangaro.
Our 2025 trip will feature fair trade weaving demonstrations, permaculture tours, explorations of Guatemala’s rich indigenous history, and conversations with leaders, experts, and activists. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
What Sets Us Apart
What makes Pulsera Project trips unique is that virtually every place we visit and person we talk to is part of the project’s amazing network of volunteers and artisans. Pulsera sales directly help the artisans and organizations we visit, making it a perfect trip for teachers who have hosted sales and want to learn more about the communities they’re partnering with.
Our summer adventures go far beyond the typical cultural trips abroad – we engage in serious inquiries about the problems we face both in the U.S. and Central America, share our pulsera experiences with the very artisans that make them possible, and live the project’s philosophy of solidarity, humility, and self-awareness.
Our goal is for every teacher to walk away with a richer understanding of Central America, the incredible people we work with, and the inspiring work they do. We encourage all teachers who have hosted sales to apply.
