FAQs and Other Fun Stuff

FAQs

  • Applicants are selected on a first-come-first-serve basis if they meet all the requirements. Applications are accepted by the posted deadline or earlier if all the spots get filled.

  • First, check out our eligibility guidelines. If you’re still not sure, ask! That’s what the contact form is for! Or, you can always fill out the application, and we will reach out if we have any questions/concerns.

  • Costa Rica is a safe country; violent crime is very low. The most common type of crime is petty theft.

  • Yes! We encourage any qualified students to apply regardless of sexual orientation.

  • No. While it would be helpful and give you a leg up in the country, your trip leader will be your translator and will encourage you to practice while in Costa Rica!

  • The only expenses Travel Sparq does not cover are the purchases of any additional snacks or souvenirs, optional vaccinations, and general items listed on the packing list.

  • Other than your traditional vaccines required because of school and the COVID vaccines, Costa Rica does not require US citizens to be vaccinated for anything specific. However, if you still want to know what vaccinations are suggested, click here.

  • If you still meet all of our eligibility requirements, then yes!

  • A detailed packing list will be given to all applicants to ensure they are prepared for all the trip activities! Click here to learn more.

  • Travel Sparq will handle this on a case-by-case basis and assist if possible!

  • For the first week, communication will be minimal. An email will go out to all emergency contacts when we have landed and once we have made it to that Pacuare project. If they need to contact us in an emergency, they can contact any of the chaperones phones that will be able to receive international calls.

    The trip lead will also have a phone where students can make a daily call to family while at the conservation. Otherwise, most communication will have to wait until the second week of the trip when the internet and WiFi are more accessible.

  • Yes, we will all meet at the Ames Public Library, and a volunteer with Travel Sparq will drive us to the airport and pick us up when we return.

  • YES! We are a registered 501(c)3 organization. At the end of every calendar year, you will receive an email/letter with your total contributions for the year that you may use for tax purposes.

    Our EIN is 88-2216079

    1. Why not?!

    2. Sea turtles are an endangered species that have been on this earth since the dinosaurs. Unfortunately, they struggle on a planet they once thrived on due to climate change and human interference. This project allows students to impact this species while getting hands-on experience directly. Let’s do our part to make this earth better for the turtles, which makes it a little better for us, too!

  • Hello and welcome; this is Jen, your trip lead (and founder), speaking!

    In 2012, I took my first trip out of the country, which changed me in ways I could never imagine. It gave me a broader mindset, unreasonable amounts of confidence, and a spark for life that I can't extinguish! So I started Travel Sparq to extend the same opportunity to low-income and underserved youth.

    When someone doesn't believe the same opportunities are available to them as others, it creates a "live for today" mindset- but not the get off your butt and conquer the world- kind. "Live for today because why bother planning for the future" "Live for today because this is all I know" "Live for today because I don't even know what I can dream for." So I started Travel Sparq to create opportunities for teens in Iowa!

Meet the Crew

Take a gander below if you want to learn more about the team that is working hard to create these opportunities we keep going on and on about! And be sure to reach out if you're interested in joining the team! We are always looking for people who see travel's value and believe it can truly change lives!


  • Founder and trip lead, Jen loves traveling, animals, trail running, and being gobsmacked by the world’s natural beauty. To call her an “optimist” would be the understatement of the century, but she is hyper-focused on giving students the safest, most authentic experience possible while in Costa Rica.

  • Please meet Cassie: dog owner, raccoon enthusiast, and gym fiend! But her love of travel is what brought her to Travel Sparq! She experienced first-hand how much a person can change when pushed from their comfort-zone, and is instrumental is helping us find new opportunities for outreach and funding! As a board member, she is really the muscle we need to get this metaphorical plane off the ground!

  • As one of our chaperones, Tyler is a licensed social worker who spends his free time watching movies, dominating board games, and being the best dog dad in the business! But he’s not just a chaperone, he is one of the program’s co-creators! His experience helps drive so many of the vital decisions we make for the trip to ensure all students feel safe and supported. He is the actual back-bone of this organization and we are so grateful for his generosity and skills.

  • Animal lover and annihilator of sushi and crab rangoon, Sarah is the wind in the sails of Travel Sparq. As a board member, she focuses on keeping things running and making sure that each decision we make, is pushing our mission to greater and greater heights!

  • Meet Heidi! She is a woman of many skills, including EMT training, substitute teaching, and soaking up nature's beauty every chance she can. Internationally known as The Most Resourceful Person to Ever Exist, her dependability and character are just a few traits we are excited to have modeled for our participants. And that's what we look for in our chaperones!

Hatchling Magic

Contact us.

Curious? Just gotta know more? Awesome, we love an inquisitive mind! Reach out with your question(s), and someone will get back to you soon! It may take a few days to answer, but the response will be faster than a mail-carrying pigeon, guaranteed.