Underwater Explorers: Meet Their Instructors

Not only are the eight Girl Scouts (arriving on Monday) coming to Costa Rica as our first course of our infamous "Busy Season," but they are also the premier group for our Underwater Explorers course.

Costa Rica Outward Bound has run courses similar to UE's Costa Rica phase (including hiking, homestays, service and rafting) and other courses similar to its Panama phase (including sailing, scuba diving, and wakeboarding), but they've never been combined for one of our Girl Scouts Destination* courses.

Who better to lead these fine young women into new challenges than veteran instructor, Donna White, and two of our newest - and highly skilled - female instructors, Mariana and Erin?

Without further ado, let's introduce them:


Donna White, Land Instructor
Hometown: New Bern, NC
About: While she can be tough on her students (for their own good, of course), nobody can help ending a conversation with "Yes, Donna. You're right." It must be that adorable southern accent. That, and Donna has a lot of experience and skills in a multitude of areas. She has fixed up boats, cooked in a sorority house, led yoga, and helped out friends at fundraisers such as a crepe chef extraordinaire at festivals.
Read more: Leadership profile




Mariana Delgado, Land and Surf Instructor
Hometown: San Diego, California
About: Mariana's younger sister (and fellow Girl Scout), Alexandra, actually found Costa Rica Outward Bound first when she came on one of our Catching Waves courses last year (and will be here again this summer for the third Underwater Explorers course). Nevertheless, Mariana was made for leading Girl Scouts in the water with us in Costa Rica. Not only did she grew up in a bilingual Spanish/English home and swim competitively for 10 years with USA Swimming Association, but Mariana achieved her Girl Scouts of America Gold, Silver and Leadership Awards. There are a few more interesting things to ask her about when you come to spend 15 days with her: she has lifeguarded, worked as a Watersports Youth Counselor, knows American Sign Language, and came here straight from Norway where she was an Au Pair!




Erin Miller, Land Instructor
Hometown: Carver, MA
About: Erin has been living a leader's life in her professional years making her more than ready to be one of our new instructors here in Costa Rica. She has worked with youth in many different roles, including work as a Youth Specialist in the Division of Youth Services of Missouri, as a Course Facilitator at Leadership Ranch, and even as an instructor with one of our fellow OB charter schools, Thompson Island Outward Bound. And in addition to helping youth, she can't get enough of the outdoors. Bienvenida, chica!

*The Destinations program, on behalf of Girl Scouts USA, is a chance for members to participate in enriching travel and adventure opportunities, ages 11-18. Girl Scouts must apply through their respective Councils. Applications consist of an essay explaining their ambition to attend, two recommendations describing her as a qualified participant, and a general Q&A portion.

Costa Rica Outward Bound has been a Destination location for more than five years. In 2010, there are four Destinations for ages 13-18: Underwater Explorers, Rainforest River & Reef, Service Challenge, and Catching Waves. Click on the studio2b links on their respective crrobs.org pages to find the applications.