The Menlo Abroad program provides Upper School students with an experiential, cultural immersion course through extended travel in a foreign country. Through facilitated curricula, community engagement, and homestay, students develop meaningful relationships with people and places within that country, make friends, and use their skills to address common problems. They emerge with a better understanding of themselves and their world.

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We are pleased to offer Menlo Middle School students a summer travel opportunity to Southern Arizona, June 6-June 11, 2026.

The excursion, which departs after the close of the school year, will provide a dynamic exploration of environmental, indigenous, and immigration issues. The journey begins in Tucson, Arizona, for orientation followed by a visit to Nogales, a town at the southern border with Mexico. Students will gain a unique perspective on migration and its ecological impacts. Students will also learn about traditional survival methods in the Sonoran Desert.

The trip then proceeds to Ajo. This segment emphasizes sustainable living in arid environments and the International Sonoran Desert Alliance. Here, students engage with the Tohono O’odham Nation, learn about indigenous art and cultural preservation amidst border patrol operations and narratives of recent migrants.

Throughout the trip, students participate in various projects, fun activities—hiking and swimming—all set against the backdrop of Southern Arizona’s diverse landscapes and rich cultural history.