Isabetl Hesselink, a Madrona School student, traveled to the British Virgin Islands with VISIONS Service Adventures, an international community service program for teens.

Hesselink was part of a group of high school students who accomplished service projects while living in a small neighborhood on Tortola, the largest of the British Virgin Islands, this summer.

While some of the islands benefit from tourism, many areas lack basic resources, housing and infrastructure.

The group worked alongside organic farmers on agricultural projects, helped the British Virgin Islands National Park Trust make improvements to a local park and botanic gardens, made improvements to and worked with animals at the humane society, and also helped the Red Cross to facilitate swimming activities and games for a small group of adults with disabilities and created a pirate ship playground for local youth.

After work and on weekends, they swam and snorkeled at the many beaches, explored town, hiked Tortola’s mountainous trails, visited the neighboring island of Virgin Gorda and also went scuba diving.