From Classroom to Cenotes: West Tennessee Students Experience Maya History in Mexico

Through Bethel University Global Studies and with scholarships provided by Global Citizen Adventure Corps (GCAC), these students participated in an immersive, credit-bearing international learning experience designed to bring academic content to life.

Gleason and Greenfield High School students visit Chichén Itzá as part of a global studies program led by Stacie Freeman.

Learning Before Takeoff

The journey to Mexico actually began months earlier, in August, when the students enrolled in an online dual-enrollment course through Bethel University focused on Maya history and culture. Instead of a traditional final exam or research paper, the course culminated in a hands-on capstone: a fall-break study experience in Mexico.

Students were eligible for Tennessee Dual Enrollment scholarships to help offset tuition costs and could earn 3 transferable college credit hours. For one student, a GCAC travel scholarship made participation possible - opening the door to a global experience that might otherwise have been out of reach.

History Comes Alive in the Yucatán

Once in Mexico, classroom lessons transformed into a lived experience.

Students climbed the ancient Maya ruins at Ek’ Balam and explored Chichén Itzá, one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. They swam in cenotes - freshwater sinkholes formed after a meteor impact more than 66 million years ago, an event that contributed to the extinction of the dinosaurs and permanently shaped the Yucatán Peninsula.

Their favorite was Xux Ha, a cenote near Valladolid that the Maya once regarded as a sacred gateway to the underworld.

Culture, Craft, and Community

Beyond archaeological sites, students spent time in small villages learning directly from local families and artisans. They made tortillas by hand, prepared tamales, and cooked chicken in a traditional pib (underground oven). They also learned hammock-weaving techniques from artisans, many of whom are descendants of the Maya people. These moments offered something no textbook can provide: shared meals, conversation, and cultural exchange rooted in respect and relationship.

Nature as Teacher

The group also visited the stunning Ría Celestún Biosphere Reserve, known for its pink flamingos and red-tinted waters. The unusual color of the water is caused by salt-tolerant microorganisms that support the region’s delicate ecosystem, including the flamingos that feed there.

From museum visits and pyramid climbs to cooking with host families, each day layered academic learning with cultural immersion. The week concluded with a well-earned day of rest along the beaches of the Yucatán Peninsula.

Leadership and Support

The program was guided by Pablo Martinez, a professional tour leader with Etnica Travel, who specializes in educational travel throughout the Yucatán and Guatemala.

Students were accompanied by:

• Their high school Spanish teacher, Jonathan Shepherd

• Their dual-enrollment professor, Stacie Freeman, Director of Bethel University’s Global Studies program and co-founder of GCAC.

• Four adult community members who helped support and mentor the group

Reflecting on the experience, Freeman shared:

“I am incredibly proud of these Gleason and Greenfield high school students who chose to step outside their comfort zones and explore Mexico’s landscape, history, and culture. This all-male student group represented themselves, their families, their schools, their communities, and their country exceptionally well.”

Education Without Borders

This fall-break program is one example of how global education can be rigorous, ethical, and accessible - even for students from small, rural communities. When learning moves beyond the classroom, students don’t just study history. They walk it, taste it, question it, and remember it.

And that kind of education lasts a lifetime.