The Hero School: Volunteer Opportunities with Matt Paneitz
Today’s guest is Matt Paneitz, the founder of Long Way Home (LWH). His work has earned global recognition and created one of the best service-learning opportunities available for teachers and students.
His Story
Before founding Long Way Home, Matt was a 911 Paramedic and later served in the Peace Corps (2002). After completing his service, he launched LWH and helped construct the first city park in Comalapa, Guatemala (2005–2008).
In 2009, Matt began what became an internationally recognized sustainability project: the construction of the Hero School campus, a 20-structure educational environment made almost entirely from repurposed waste materials.
This included:
35,000 used tires
550+ tons of reclaimed waste
Designs optimized for local climate and environmental conditions
The campus also incorporates:
Solar power
Rainwater catchment + purification
Dry composting latrines that manage all grey and black water
Systems intentionally visible as teaching tools
Matt open-sourced every structure profile to allow others to replicate the designs → https://lwhomegreen.org
Education Earned While Building
While living and working in rural Guatemala, Matt earned:
A Bachelor’s degree in Sustainability (2012)
A Master’s degree in Education (2015)
And he is currently completing his Doctorate in Education
His academic work combined with his on-the-ground building experience led to the creation of the Hero School Education Model, which received the UNESCO-Japan Prize for Education for Sustainable Development in 2023.
Workshops, Books & Programs
Matt also developed:
The Green Building Workshop, a one-month intensive green-building program
The Green Building Manual
A 4-course university certificate in Critical Pedagogy & Sustainability
His current work as a Fellow with ASAP (Academics Stand Against Poverty) at Yale University
Matt lived in Comalapa for 20 years, working alongside local builders, teachers, and families.
Calling All Teachers: Bring Your Students to Guatemala for Service Learning
Matt is actively looking for:
✔️ Volunteers
✔️ Teachers
✔️ Student groups
✔️ Service-learning programs
✔️ Affordable international school trips
Long Way Home provides a truly immersive and budget-friendly program where students can:
Learn sustainable design
Participate in green building
Engage with the local community
Experience environmental stewardship hands-on
Make a real, lasting impact
If you're a teacher dreaming of taking your students abroad for meaningful, purpose-driven travel, this is exactly the kind of program you're looking for.
When you contact him, please mention that you heard his interview on Teacher Show Me the World.
🔗 Connect with Long Way Home
Website: https://lwhome.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lwhomeorg
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lwhome_org/?hl=en
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGp4wuyTpyGytkXWSwYX1SA
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/long-way-home/