Professor Stacie Freeman, Director of Bethel’s Global Studies program, expressed pride in the students, stating, “I am proud of these Gleason and Greenfield high school students who chose to step outside their comfort zones and explore Mexico’s beautiful landscape, history, and culture. This all-male student group represented themselves, their families, schools, communities, and country exceptionally well!”
Front – left to right – local guide, Roberto, Julie Hill (Union City, Tenn.), Stacie Freeman (Dresden, Tenn.), Martha Edinger (Sarasota, Florida), Dexter Cockerham (Greenfield, Tenn.), Corbin Hugueley (Gleason, Tenn.), Back – Joel Washburn (McKenzie, Tenn.), Jon Shepherd (Greenfield, Tenn.), Michael Davis (Greenfield, Tenn.), Dre Funk (Martin, Tenn.), Tyler Earls (Dresden, Tenn..)
The trip provided an opportunity for the GCAC leadership team to also travel together. GCAC Co-CEOs – Dr. Julie Hill and Stacie Freeman, along with Martha Edinger, board chairman and Joel Washburn, vice-chair, shared in the experiences offered to students in high school dual enrollment courses and traditional college students. The leadership team received first-hand feedback about the programs offered through GCAC. Dre Funk of Union City also accompanied the group as an adult traveler.
The journey began in August when the students enrolled in an online Dual Enrollment course at Bethel University, focusing on Maya history and culture. Their capstone project was not a traditional paper or test but an actual trip to Mexico during fall break. The students were eligible for scholarships to help cover their tuition and could earn three hours of transferable college credit from Bethel University. One student received a scholarship to assist with expenses, and together they embarked on an unforgettable adventure.
Atop a pyramid at Ek’ Balam are dual enrollment high school students and their Spanish instructor — Tyler Earls (Dresden, Tenn.), Jon Shepherd (Spanish teacher- Gleason and Greenfield), Corbin Hugueley (Gleason, Tenn.), Michael Davis (Greenfield, Tenn.), and Dexter Cockerham (Greenfield, Tenn.).
Upon arriving in Mexico, lessons from their online coursework came to life. The students climbed the ancient Maya ruins at Ek’ Balam and explored Chichén Itzá, one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. They also swam in the region’s cenotes—freshwater sinkholes created by a meteor impact 66 million years ago that contributed to the extinction of the dinosaurs and shaped the Yucatán landscape. Their favorite cenote was Xux Ha, located near Valladolid, which was once regarded as a sacred gateway by the Mayan civilization.
During their experience, the students visited small villages, where they learned to make tortillas, prepare tamales, and cook chicken in a traditional Pib oven. They also wove hammocks with local artisans, many of whom are descendants of the Mayans.
The group visited the vibrant Ría Celestún Biosphere Reserve, home to pink flamingos and red-tinted waters caused by naturally occurring elements. The red color of the water in Ría Celestún is due to salt-tolerant bacteria that sustain the flamingos and other wildlife.
From museum tours and visits to Mayan pyramids to preparing meals in small villages, each day provided unique educational experiences. The week culminated in a day of relaxation at the beach on the Yucatán Peninsula.
Pablo Martinez, a professional tour leader from Etnica Travel, guided the students throughout the week. Pablo specializes in tours in the Yucatán and Guatemala.
The students were accompanied by their high school Spanish teacher, Jonathan Shepherd, and their college dual enrollment professor, Stacie Freeman, along with four other adult community members.
For more information, visit gcactravel.org to learn about GCAC.
Weakley County, Tennessee, Dual Enrollment High School/Bethel University students, along with their high school and college instructors, stand in front of El Castillo at Chichén Itzá in the Yucatán Peninsula in lower Mexico. The high school students spent their school’s fall break traveling with Bethel University Global Studies to learn and earn college credit. Pictured are Michael Davis (Greenfield), Bennie Dexter Cockerham, III (Greenfield), Jonathan Shepherd (Spanish teacher at Greenfield and Gleason), Professor Stacie Freeman (director of Bethel University Global Studies), Tyler Earls (Gleason), and Corbin Hugueley (Gleason).sta