The Power of Community

In the spring of 2024, I attended the Head’s Network Women’s Seminar in Asheville, North Carolina, where I met so many incredible women, including Sara Hernandez, the Director of Upper School at TASIS Dorado. When we decided to explore Puerto Rico for our Winterim trip, I knew TASIS had to be a stop on our journey.

Thankfully, Sara was so welcoming and happy to help us build connections and community. She let me know that our visit would include a Spanish/Puerto Rican culture workshop, a Puerto Rican culinary workshop, and a tour of the school.

We were in for a treat. As we pulled onto campus, we were surrounded by towering palm trees and the greenest greenery you could imagine. We were so excited to build relationships with an independent school in Puerto Rico.

As we stepped off the bus, the campus was even more beautiful up close. The open architecture blurred the lines between indoor and outdoor spaces, and in a place like Puerto Rico, I can only imagine how incredible that must be for students, faculty, and staff. Even through the rain, the sun still peeked through, which is always a happy moment.

Chef Magdalis González and Spanish teacher Rafael Hernández greeted us in the culinary classroom, where culinary arts is offered as an elective. Chef González and Mr. Hernández immediately immersed us in Puerto Rican culture and history and, of course, we learned a little about Bad Bunny, which thrilled the girls. Our French students had fun picking up some Spanish, and our Spanish students loved learning a few slang words they could use with their friends.

We were also joined by two culinary students who were so knowledgeable and eager to help during the workshop. They started us off with delicious (nonalcoholic) piña coladas, cherries optional. Then, we made our own empanadillas and pastelillos filled with a perfect mix of pastry, cheese, and seasoned beef. The results were mouthwatering, and we all left wanting both the recipe and more to eat.

The icing on the cake was our tour with student council members. As we walked through TASIS, our students kept pointing out things that reminded them of GPS—students lounging and studying during their free periods, school traditions that only make sense within that community, and a deep sense of pride. The love for the TASIS Dorado Bears was obvious everywhere, from the college list on display to the spirited rock-paper-scissors games during their spirit day to the graduates’ names engraved on bear statues they had gifted back to their school.

For many of our students, this visit was their favorite part of Puerto Rico. We went water sliding on rocks, swam in bioluminescent bays, and experienced so much beauty, but visiting an independent school and forming real connections stood out the most. That’s the power of community. Our students need it, they thrive in it, and TASIS Dorado will always hold a special place in our hearts.