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WHAT IS GLASS?
Girls Leadership Academy for
Service & Sport
A leadership development adventure designed to help high school female athletes unleash their full potential.
Each 10-Day Session Includes:
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Sports-performance training
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Service-learning projects
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Leadership development workshops
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Mentorship from former collegiate student-athletes
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Culturally-immersive adventure!
GLASS Details
Costa Rica | San Jose, La Fortuna, & Tamarindo
Per Person Cost
$3,495
Scholarship and fundraising resources are available. Please contact our team for more details.
Included
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Nine nights lodging accommodations (three nights in San Jose, three nights in La Fortuna, and three nights in Tamarindo)
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Three meals, daily
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All transportation while in Costa Rica
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Six GLASS Leadership Workshops
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Five sports-performance workouts
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Four to six service-learning hours
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All excursions outlined in the trip itinerary (below)
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GLASS t-shirt and journal
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International health insurance
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24/7 Staff supervision (6:1 student-to-staff ratio)
Not Included
Session Dates
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Session #1: July 14 - 23, 2026
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Session #2: July 28 - Aug 6, 2026
Eligibility
This is an invitation-only program. We enroll standout and emerging leaders in high school girls athletics. If you have not yet received an invitation, please complete our Tour Application to be considered.
For GLASS, we enroll athletes from the graduating classes of 2026 through 2029.
Capacity
GLASS is capped at 32 student-athletes per session. Spots are filled on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Accommodations
All overnights are in 3 or 4-star accommodations. Participants will share a room with another traveler, however, every participant will have their own bed.
Payment
A $250 deposit is required to reserve your spot. Additional payments will be paid in a series of installments:
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Due at Registration - $250
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March 15th - 50% of Remaining Balance
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May 15th - Final Balance
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Round-trip airfare
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Personal expenses (i.e. souvenirs and snacks)
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Passport and baggage fees, if applicable
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Trip cancellation/interruption insurance (optional)
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Card fees for program payments, if applicable
Haven't received an invitation? Please complete our Tour Application to be considered for an invite.
GLASS Itinerary
Day 1 - San Jose
Arrive at San Jose International Airport (SJO) where your Mentors will be waiting for you! Settle into Costa Rica with a Tour Orientation, a welcome dinner, and get to know your fellow GLASSmates.
Day 2 - San Jose
Our first full day will start with typical Costa Rican breakfast––gallo pinto, fresh fruit, and eggs––then our first sports clinic for local youth. In the afternoon, we'll depart for a guided tour of San Jose and time to explore the artisan market. We’ll wrap up the day with our first leadership workshop and dinner.
Day 3 - San Jose
We'll start the day with our first sports-performance training and then host our second sports clinic for local youth. Following service, our Mentors will facilitate an afternoon leadership workshop, and then we’ll all head out for dinner with a breathtaking view of the city!
Day 4 - La Fortuna
After an early morning workout and breakfast, we’ll depart for La Fortuna––location of the famous Arenal Volcano! Upon arrival, our Mentors will host a leadership workshop before dinner and a night of relaxation!
Day 5 - La Fortuna
In the morning, we'll zip-line through the rainforest––viewing the La Fortuna waterfall from above! Following our adventurous morning, we'll head to a local farm to learn about Costa Rica’s most famed exports. We’ll conclude the day with a leadership workshop and the chance to learn about college athletics from your Mentors in Q&A session.
Day 6 - La Fortuna
After a morning sports-performance session, we’ll partake in an environmental clean up. During our leadership session for the day, our Mentors will facilitate a service-learning reflection to capture key learnings from the service component of the program. We will end our day with salsa lessons and a cooking class to close out our time in La Fortuna!
Day 7 - Tamarindo
After a workout with a volcano view, we'll hit the road again, en route for Playa Tamarindo––a local Costa Rican beach town. Once we arrive in Tamarindo, our mentors will host a goal-setting workshop before we visit town for dinner. We’ll end the day with leadership.
Day 8 - Tamarindo
We'll start the day with an early morning workout. Then, we'll volunteer at Halfway Home's Dog Shelter followed by surf lessons and some time to explore the town, souvenir shop, or enjoy the beach. Our Mentors will lead an early evening leadership workshop before dinner.
Day 9 - Tamarindo
On our final full day, we'll begin with our last workout and time to soak up the sun on the Tamarindo beaches. In the afternoon, we'll have our final leadership workshop and then we will spend the rest of the day at sea on a sunset catamaran tour, snorkeling, paddle boarding, and swimming! Our program will conclude with a GLASS Wrap-Up, hosted by our staff.
Day 10 - Travel Day
Say our goodbyes as we head to Liberia (LIR) Airport. Travel home with friends and memories to last a lifetime!
The final itinerary will include all components described above, however, the order of activities will change based on the confirmed schedule of service activities.
Leadership Curriculum
Our GLASS curriculum balances a dynamic blend of leadership development, sports, service-learning, and global engagement. Student-athletes return home with:
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Enhanced independence and confidence
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A greater awareness of other communities and cultures
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A strong understanding of the leadership skills acquired through sports
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A dynamic network of standout peers and mentors
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A stimulated sense of adventure
GLASS Mentors
At the heart of the Girls Leadership Academy for Service & Sport (GLASS) are our Mentors. Leveraging our vast network of college coaches from top universities across the country, we staff our program with accomplished leaders—All-Americans, Dean's List honorees, and team captains who embody excellence both on-and-off the field-of-play.
Our GLASS program is intentionally designed around a mentorship model because we believe in the transformative power of positive role models. GLASS Mentors don’t just coach—they inspire, empower, and guide the next generation of leaders, providing invaluable support and insight that fosters growth and confidence in every participant.
Our Mentors are announced each spring—take a look at the lineup of past GLASS Mentors below!
"The mentors truly poured into these girls and I'm so grateful that my daughter will forever benefit from the leadership and growth this program provides!"
Parent of Maddy M. | Frisco, TX
Testimonials
Meredith F.
Iowa | Track & XC | GLASS 2025
"Through my time at GLASS I grew as a leader and athlete but also as a person. While being separated from everything at home seemed scary at first, it truly forced me out of my comfort zone and pushed me to try new things. This is what made it possible for me to grow so much in such a short period of time. I am forever grateful for the opportunity to go on this trip and grow so much as an athlete, a leader, and a person. It was truly the best experience ever in my life!"
Alma S.
California | Tennis | GLASS 2025
"The time I spent in Costa Rica this summer was the most life changing experience I have ever had! I met the most amazing girls and mentors, made lasting memories, and challenged myself to do things I never thought I could!"
Parent of Willa B.
Texas | Track & XC | GLASS 2025
"My daughter absolutely loved this trip! Thank you to all the GLASS mentors for being great role models. My daughter said it was the best thing she’s ever done in her life. She loved the service activities, leadership lessons, sightseeing, and making friends with girls from around the US. She came back with so much self confidence and a desire to become a world traveler. Worth every penny and she created memories that will last a lifetime! It was a life changing experience for her!"
MIT Experience
Already participated in GLASS? Return to GLASS as a Mentor-in-Training (MIT)!
GLASS alumni are invited to join us back in Costa Rica as a Mentor-in-Training (MIT)! Your first GLASS experience helped you uncover and find confidence in your authentic leadership style. In this second GLASS experience, we'll work with you on your skills of empowerment.
Our MIT experience is centered around the theme of "leading from within." You'll grow alongside first-year GLASS students––guiding and empowering them through the same leadership experience that you already navigated. Outside of our daily GLASS leadership workshops, our Mentors will lead MIT reflection sessions to help you channel the empowerment skills that already exist within you.
After participating as an MIT, you'll return home with a refined ability to mentor your peers along their leadership journeys.
Next Steps
Our staff is available to answer any questions you or your family may have regarding the tour. Feel free to contact us at any point in the process.
1.
Accept Your Invitation
If you received an invitation via email, you can accept your invite to begin registration. If you did not receive an invite, but you are interested in joining the tour, please complete our Tour Application.
2.
Register & Deposit
When you are ready to commit to the tour, submit your $250 deposit to reserve your spot. The full cost of the tour is not due immediately. Payment deadlines are outlined in registration.
3.
Begin Travel Prep
Once deposited, your tour coordinator will connect with you to share pre-departure information. We encourage all students who do not have a valid passport to apply for a passport as soon as possible!
GLASS FAQ
How do I get invited to GLASS?
We reach out to high school coaches across the country, inviting them to nominate the top leaders in high school girls athletics. All nominees receive an invitation.
If you have not been nominated, we encourage you to apply! You can also be considered for an invitation by completing our application.
Who do you look for for GLASS?
This program is for team leaders and emerging team leaders. Specifically, we look for the following qualities in our GLASS participants:
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Invested in their own personal growth
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Invested in empowering their peers
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Demonstrates a readiness to go beyond their comfort zone
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Demonstrates an eagerness to learn
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Embodies teamwork and outstanding sportsmanship
Why is GLASS invitation-only?
GLASS is an invitation-only program to ensure that each participant is not only ready for this stage of their leadership journey but also genuinely wants to be part of the experience.
When everyone in the program is highly motivated, bought-in, and eager to contribute, it creates a powerful and meaningful dynamic that elevates the entire group.
Can a family member travel with me?
Family members are welcome to travel with you to Costa Rica! However, for our GLASS Program, we do not have any family travel packages. Any accompanying family members are responsible for arranging their own travel plans and in-country logistics.
How many students-athletes will travel with me?
Our GLASS sessions are capped at 32 student-athletes. We intentionally keep these program small so that participants can connect well with their peers and GLASS Mentors.
How will I travel to Costa Rica?
Participants are responsible for booking their own air travel to and from Costa Rica. We provide detailed flight booking instructions in the pre-departure process.
If you’re interested in coordinating your travel plans with other tour students, please contact our staff to be connected with your GLASSmates
Who will meet me at the airport in Costa Rica?
Our Beyond Sports staff will be waiting for you at the airport in Costa Rica. Once you connect with our team in Costa Rica, our staff and GLASS Mentors will stay with you through the duration of the program.
Contact Us
Our staff is readily available to answer your questions. Please do not hesitate to reach out to us at your convenience.
