Students at Ho'ala School in Wahiawa will have a substitute science teacher next month, and that's a good thing.

Their regular science teacher will be heading to Costa Rica on a special project.

Kristi Desuacido engages her students in dialogue about the environment. She is passionate about her subject so much so that she will be one of 36 US teachers participating in the Toyota International Teacher Program in February.

"Toyota sends us a lot of stuff. They're really big in supporting education, they provide science grants and they provide a lot of different things," Desuacido said.

Kristi will spend two weeks in Costa Rica exchanging global conservation ideas and sustainable agriculture practices with local experts and organizations. She had to write five essays about why she should be chosen for the trip.

"I also had to provide information about my background, why I would make a good candidate for the trip, how the objectives of the trip would match my educational goals.," Desuacido said.

This is the tenth year for the Toyota International Teacher Program. The program looks for teachers with high professional and leadership qualifications.

With that in mind, I wondered what Kristi likes most about teaching.

Desuacido says, "I think for me personally, I like the relationship with the students helping them overall just feeling fine about who they are as a person. How to become responsible citizens for the environment or for each other. After that, I can look through the science curriculum about how can I achieve that. I think give the students experience that where they can actually be empowered to change their world or other people's lives."