Ryan Reynolds
Las Cruces, New Mexico

Ryan Reynolds is currently a Junior at Las Cruces High School in New Mexico. This is a photo of him and his Costa Rican host mother, Elizabeth Quesada. Ryan was inspired to go to Costa Rica by his great interest in the natural world, and his desire to be an entomologist when he grows up. The Resident Director of Ryan's group said this of him: "The passion Ryan has for nature was infectious and made all of us pay more attention to the smaller animals around us." Living near the Mexican border also made him feel that it is important to be able to speak Spanish well. Making an effort to speak with the Ticos he met helped Ryan's Spanish progress significantly on the Pura Vida trip. In addition to entomology and botany, Ryan's other involvements include: band, drawing, varsity soccer, and Future Farmers of America.