EVERYONE HAS A STORY…..HERE IS OUR STORY.
My name is Jennifer Roth and I am currently a dedicated 6th-grade science teacher in Ridgefield, Connecticut. I have always harbored a deep desire to expose my students to international travel and immerse them in a culture vastly different from their own. To realize this vision, I collaborated with Tom Ranieri, the owner of Costa Rican Resource, a student travel company based in Turrialba, Costa Rica.
In 2009, we led an inaugural student trip with 19 eighth graders. After embarking on their own journeys as student travelers in 2009 and 2011, my daughters, Jessica and Jordan, later assumed roles as both chaperones and photographers, drawing on their personal experiences to enrich the journeys of others. The annual trip gained immense popularity due to its unique blend of educational, cultural, and adventurous experiences, coupled with meaningful community service projects. Each year, travelers actively engage in fundraising events to generate funds for various projects supported by the foundation.
In 2023, we celebrated the 15th anniversary of our student travel program to beautiful Costa Rica. A standout experience of the trip is the homestay in Sitio de Mata, a small town near Turrialba. My family quickly developed a profound connection with the local community, leading us to establish the Mi Casa es Su Casa Foundation as a means to give back to Sitio de Mata.
meet the team
Jennifer Roth
Jennifer Roth
Jennifer Roth
Founder and President
Jennifer is a 6th Grade Science Teacher in Ridgefield, CT and has been teaching middle school for 34 years. She was honored with the award of Ridgefield’s 2017 Teacher of the Year. Jennifer holds a Bachelors of Science is Education a M.S degree in School Counseling and a 6th Year Degree in Educational Leadership from Southern Connecticut State University. When she is not working Jennifer loves to garden, travel, read and spend time with her family.
Jeffrey Roth
Jennifer Roth
Jennifer Roth
Co-Founder and Treasurer
Jeffrey is currently a sales consultant in K-12 education and has been happily married to Jennifer for 28 years. He has a Bachelors of Science in Education from the State University of New York at Cortland where he studied Physical Education and Exercise Physiology. Jeffrey also has been a personal trainer and fitness coach, specializing in improving strength and wellness in the elder population.
Jessica Roth
Jennifer Roth
Jessica Roth
Co-Founder and Board Member
Jessica is a 7th and 8th grade science teacher in New York City and has been teaching for the past 7 years in NY, NJ and Spain. After graduating from Vanderbilt University in May 2018, Jessica returned to NYC to teach middle school and further her education, earning a Master’s degree in Secondary Science Education in 2020. In the future, Jessica hopes to bring her teenage students to Costa Rica for an experience similar to her mother's students.
Jordan Roth
Board Members
Jordan Roth
Co-Founder and Board Member
Jordan is currently working in Miami, Florida as a second grade teacher and has been teaching for 5 years. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Boston University and has a Master’s degree in Educational Technology for Learning from Indiana University. Jordan has spent her summers traveling with her grandparents to many places throughout the world and her love for understanding different cultures is her passion.
Tom Ranieri
Board Members
Jordan Roth
Vice President
Originally from Florida, Tom has resided in Costa Rica for the last 19 years. Tom was a teacher in Belize before coming to Costa Rica and studied at the Institute for Biodiversity in Costa Rica. Tom worked as a river guide on the Pacuare River where from there the company was formed. Tom's family moved down to Costa Rica to help with the business and now all operations are out of their office in San Jose de la Montana in Heredia located on the slopes of the Barva Volcano. With some excellent networking and the idea of the company being spread out through different small businesses, Costa Rican Resource was
formed.
Board Members
Board Members
Board Members
Viladys Rivera Reyes
Parker Doyle