Group of Lawrence students leaving Friday for trip to Costa Rica; trip not affiliated with Lawrence school district

A dozen students from Southwest and West Junior High Schools in Lawrence are preparing to leave early Friday morning for a trip to Costa Rica.

The trip was organized through EF Educational Tours, the same group that led Justin Johnston’s trip to Costa Rica. Johnston, a McLouth High School student, was shot and killed there Thursday.

Two teachers from Southwest are serving as chaperones for the trip, said Julie Boyle, a district spokeswoman: Lisa Ball and Dani Lotton Barker.

“They are in the process of communicating with their participants about the tragic news today,” Boyle said, noting that the Lawrence group “is reviewing safety precautions and security measures associated with its travel plans.”

The trip is not organized through the Lawrence school district and is not considered a school trip, Boyle said. Participants are financing their own travel.