(Courtesy/Ms. Garita)
This past summer, Ms. Garita embarked on what she describes as “the best trip I’ve taken,” spending five days in Australia and five weeks in New Zealand. Thanks to support from Columbus Academy and her role as Honorary Chair for Social and Emotional Health in Memory of Bobby Greentree ’71, she had the opportunity not only to travel but to also participate in a professional development program that left her with lasting lessons about culture, sustainability, and well-being.
A central reason for choosing New Zealand was Garita’s interest in the Māori people, the indigenous population who migrated from the Indonesian and Polynesian regions and have lived on the islands for centuries. Deeply spiritual and community-oriented, the Māori emphasize both cultural preservation and environmental stewardship.
During her 11-day professional development program, led in part by Māori leaders, Garita visited a village established after the community regained land from the government. With funding, they rebuilt homes and created a thriving community where, she said, “Everyone takes care of each other.” Children are raised collectively, ensuring that values of community and sustainability are passed down.
The program, part of the Institute for Global Learning, brought together 18 teachers and administrators from independent schools across the U.S. Together, they cooked, hiked, and studied how sustainability could be woven into school life—not just on campus, but also in curriculum.
Much of the experience was grounded in the natural beauty of New Zealand. From hiking through mountains and forests to visiting Milford Sound’s fiords, Garita immersed herself in the environment. A highlight was conquering her fear of small planes by flying in a Cessna over the fiords and mountains. She says, “It just reminds you of how small we are. In the midst of everything, we are still just a tiny speck of this Earth—but one speck that can do a lot to help sustain the Earth.”
These moments reinforced a lesson she carried home: to slow down and let nature restore balance. She says, “We are part of nature. So, we have to restore nature, so nature can restore us.”
When not engaged in professional learning, Garita spent time exploring the country’s landscapes and culture on her own. She also made a brief stop in Australia, just a three-hour flight away, where she met Aboriginal people and appreciated similarities with New Zealand’s indigenous communities. And, she adds with a smile, she discovered “the best pistachio ice cream” she has ever tasted.
This trip was more than professional development; it was also an opportunity for personal renewal. “It was really good for my emotional health,” Garita said. “I didn’t think about work—I just focused on being present.” Still, she did visit an independent school in Auckland, where she observed striking similarities to Columbus Academy including their uniforms, curriculum, and a sense of mission.
Her biggest takeaway, however, is the connection between humans and the environment. By embracing the Māori perspective of stewardship, Garita returned inspired to live and teach more sustainably.
