Despite everyone's best efforts, the Skype call to the Mayor of Suchitoto just didn't work out this meeting, due to technical issues in both countries. Nonetheless, the telephone worked, a phone call was made and a quick conversation took place.

Last Thursday night was the monthly meeting of the Prescott-Suchitoto Sister City Committee, and there was plenty to talk about, even if the video conference wasn't happening. The main topic of the evening? The Northpoint Expeditionary Learning Academy student trip to Costa Rica and Suchitoto, El Salvador planned for May, 2012.

Why May? At Northpoint, students focus on their core studies for most of the school year. But at the end of each semester, they concentrate on their Intensives - another word for electives - able to spend 2-3 weeks immersed in the subject of their choice. Intensives can include learning about sculpture, aeronautic studies, cooking in a real restaurant, hip hop or even international travel.

Next spring, a Northpoint intensive will have 19 Northpoint students and three adults on their way to Central America. The group will spend two weeks in Costa Rica and one week in El Salvador. They will learn new cultures, customs and languages. They will perform as-yet-undecided service projects, meet new people of all ages, make new friends. When they return, they'll be different people.

What differentiates this Northpoint trip from past international travel adventures, however, is the close partnership that is occurring between students and the Suchitoto Sister City group. Many of the Prescott-Suchitoto Sister City members plan to travel to El Salvador and join the students, something that has not been done before in an intensive.

Not only will there be things to learn while the students are in Central America, there's a lot to learn and do in order to make this trip happen. For one thing, they need to raise around $24,000 for their expenses. They plan to do this with numerous and varied fundraisers that range from silent auctions to a Latin American Cuisine dinner.

One such fundraiser happens this Wednesday, September 28. Bring this flyer to Macayo's Mexican Kitchen Restaurant any time on Wednesday from 11 am to 9 pm, and 20% of your dine-in meal cost will be donated to the students for their trip. A variety of other fundraisers will also take place throughout the school year.

So, make sure that your meal plans include Macayo's on Wednesday, and keep an eye open for other fundraising activities as they occur.

Download Macayo's Discount Flier - it is absolutely required that you hand in a flyer for the students to get credit for the 20%.