Program Highlight: GLASS

Learn more about our Girls Leadership Academy for Service & Sport

What is GLASS?

Are you a leader on your team and in your community? Are you looking to make a meaningful difference while strengthening your leadership skills and athletic abilities? Are you ready to explore a new country and develop your confidence along the way? If so, you might be the perfect fit for the GLASS program.

The Girls Leadership Academy for Service and Sport (GLASS) is a leadership-intensive program based in Costa Rica for high school female student-athletes. Over the course of 10 days, athletes will participate in daily leadership workshops, engage in service-learning activities with the local community, train in group workouts, and explore Costa Rica through exciting excursions. By the end of their journey, “GLASSthletes” will leave the program with an increased confidence, a heightened cultural awareness, a stronger understanding of leadership skills, and a network of in-country peers to stay connected with long after the program ends. 

The Leadership Curriculum 

Leadership development is the heart of every GLASS program, with each day of the itinerary revolving around a certain leadership theme. Using both traditional classroom-teaching leadership workshops coupled with reflection discussions, athletes have the opportunity to delve into each theme daily.

Led by our GLASS mentors, leadership workshops include a variety of activities, reflection questions, and small-group discussions to keep GLASSthletes focused on the materials. All students are provided with a journal before the trip, and encouraged to take detailed notes of every session. Along with note-taking, other hands-on and creative activities are utilized throughout the workshops to keep everyone engaged. While these sessions are led by mentors, the space is intentionally collaborative to ensure that athletes are able to share ideas, ask questions, and learn from one another. 

Sports & Service

Sport is the common thread that connects all of our GLASS athletes, and we utilize this connection to create bonds between our athletes from Day 1. In our GLASS program, we have athletes from several different sports including Cross Country, Swimming, Track & Field, Cheerleading, Wrestling, Basketball, Field Hockey, Soccer, and more! Because of this, we partner with NorthStar Sports to create training programs that cater to all of our athletes and their skills. 

Service-learning activities are often a highlight for athletes in their GLASS experience. All Beyond Sports programs utilize a service-learning approach when connecting our athletes with local community members. By employing service-learning, we recognize the multiple benefits that our service activities can achieve. Our athletes learn the value of giving time and effort to important causes, while also having the opportunity to connect with local community members. In return, our service partners receive assistance from the upstanding role models that are our GLASSthletes.

We work with our service partners year round to ensure that all service activities are beneficial and sustainable. Projects can vary year-to-year based on location and timing. Past projects include working with schools and afterschool programs, leading sports clinics for youth, participating in environmental cleanups, and dog-walking and washing at an animal shelter. 

Interested in joining a GLASS session this summer?

If you are ready to develop your leadership skills, make an impact and create meaningful relationships, then you are ready for GLASS! 

Athletes who were nominated by their coaches can accept their invitations here, or athletes can apply here. 

Our two GLASS sessions in 2026 will be July 14 - 23 and July 28 - August 6. 

We hope you will join us on this life-changing adventure!