Enabling us to properly support every student through their journey
Safe practices and clear plans for accessing immediate help if needed
Responsibility for one another, and accountability for meeting expectations
Med forms: As part of our standard pre-program paperwork, families complete a detailed medical questionnaire. These help to ensure we can properly support each student’s physical and emotional well-being throughout the program.
Supervision: We take great care to ensure students feel both supported and secure. Our staff actively supervise all student activities, and no student or staff member participates in high-risk activities alone.
Staff training: All staff undergo comprehensive background checks and complete Stewards of Children training focused on child abuse prevention and awareness. Our in-house training reinforces best practices for working with young people, including clear protocols around adult-student boundaries, never being alone with a student, and maintaining a culture of accountability and care.
Local experts: In addition to our internal training, we work with experienced partners whose deep local knowledge and expertise helps us ensure students’ safety every step of the way.
Medical services: Local healthcare resources are readily available and accessible from all of our campuses. If a student falls ill or experiences an injury requiring medical attention, a Discover Term team member will inform parents as soon as possible and provide regular updates on the student’s care and recovery progress.
Student-supported safety: We spend time reviewing rigorous safety procedures and expectations with our students, teaching them how they can personally help keep themselves and others safe.
Community contract: Before the program begins, all students sign a Community Contract that defines the shared expectations and behavioral standards they commit to uphold. While certain safety rules are non-negotiable, the contract gives students a meaningful stake in shaping their community — reinforcing accountability, encouraging positive peer influence, and helping students recognize and address inappropriate behavior responsibly.
A nurturing community: Students live and learn closely together, and a key part of these experiences is developing a deep sense of responsibility for one another. We teach students what it means to be part of a respectful, accountable community, where looking out for each other is second nature.
Accountability & consequences: We hold students to clear expectations throughout the program. If a student is struggling to meet them, we respond with care, communication, and opportunities for reflection. In rare cases where a student’s continued participation would compromise the well-being of the group, parents will be notified and the student will return home at the family’s expense.
Health and safety at Discover Term go far beyond first aid kits and emergency plans — they’re embedded in the community values we expect our students to uphold as well. By engaging fully, following agreed-upon safety practices and contributing positively to group life, students foster an environment where everyone can thrive.
No, students are always surfing with an instructor or with a surf buddy. Each morning, students will have coached surfing sessions with small groups of 2-3 students per instructor. In the afternoon, students are paired with a buddy of similar surfing ability, with surf counselors also present in the surf zone. Additionally, we are typically surfing 150 yards from the lifeguard stand on Baker’s beach.
Drinking water in Costa Rica is safe to drink straight out of the faucet and will be the primary source of our hydration during surf program. Students will be encouraged to keep their water bottle with them at all times
We completely understand that allowing your child to travel internationally without you can feel like a big decision — especially if this is the first time they’ve traveled abroad. Rest assured, student safety is our #1 priority.
Surf programs take place in Nosara, Costa Rica — a small, welcoming town that our founders have personally known and loved for years. They’ve not only brought students here through Discover Term but have also traveled to Nosara with their own families and young children.
In addition, we’ve built strong, trusting relationships with local partners who help us provide a safe, supportive and enriching environment for our students.
If you have specific concerns, we’re always happy to connect and talk them through with you.
Discover Term is unable to serve young people with significant physical or mental health needs, including the inability to walk, feed themselves, communicate their needs, engage independently in regular daily activities or generally function independently.
Discover Term does serve young people with some learning differences, which may include dyslexia or mild Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD).
Students on Colorado programs have access to tiered medical care matched to the level of need. Durango Urgent Care, with a walk-in clinic in town and a seasonal location at the base of Purgatory Resort, handles everyday injuries and illness — cuts, sprains, fevers — with diagnostic lab and X-ray services on site. For situations requiring more advanced attention, Mercy Hospital in Durango operates a 24-hour emergency department and Level III trauma center.
For students on Costa Rica programs, medical care is tiered and readily accessible at every level of need. Paradise Health Clinic in Nosara handles everyday issues — scrapes, cuts, stitches, sore throats, fevers. LifeGuard Costa Rica, also in Nosara, provides urgent care 24 hours a day for both emergencies and non-emergencies. For situations requiring diagnostics like imaging or bloodwork, Nicoya Hospital is approximately an hour and ten minutes from campus. For advanced surgical or life-saving care, Hospital San José is available, with emergency medical evacuation possible via the airstrip in Nosara.
