NEW YORK, NY, March 2014 - Twenty-five highly respected educators from the United States and Canada have been selected as this year’s Lindblad Expeditions and National Geographic Education Grosvenor Teacher Fellows. The 2014 Fellows will embark on Lindblad voyages aboard National Geographic Explorer for a hands-on experience for professional development.
Each year, K-12 educators are encouraged to apply for this one-of-a-kind professional development opportunity. Fellows enhance their geographic learning through direct, hands-on field experience and bring that knowledge back to their classrooms and communities.
The 2014 Grosvenor Teacher Fellows are:
- Aimee Lampard, North Saanich, British Columbia
- Cristina Veresan, Honolulu
- Ellen Taylor, Spring Valley, Calif.
- Enrique Arce-Larreta, Salt Lake City
- Garrett Norman, Toronto
- Adam Smith, Hood River, Ore.
- Holly Doe, Windham, N.H.
- Demetria Scott, Baker, La.
- Julia Sheldon, Simsbury, Conn.
- Kelley Holmes, Falmouth, Maine
- Michele Huppert, Spring Valley, Wis.
- Tammy-Lee Koonce, Spring, Texas
- Isabel Morales, Los Angeles
- Nicole Collins, St. Francis, S.D.
- Angela Crawford, Spanish Fort, Ala.
- Kathryn Zimmann, Colorado Springs, Colo.
- Emily Starr Bean, Oakland, Calif.
- Alison Ball, Oakland, Calif.
- Sarah Navarro, Cincinnati
- Jessica Metz-Bugg, Waynesville, N.C.
- Tyler Sanders, New York City
- Thomas Szymanski, Chicago
- Jennifer Long, Chilliwack, British Columbia
- Nichole Von Haden, Madison, Wis.
- Miriam Sutton, Beaufort, N.C.
The Fellows will travel later this year on in-depth, eight- to 14-day expeditions to locations including Arctic Svalbard, Iceland, Greenland, the Canadian Maritimes and Antarctica. They will experience firsthand the landscapes, wildlife and cultures unique to these parts of the world, including formidable glaciers, polar bears and penguins, through hiking, kayaking, Zodiac excursions and cultural outings. Led by expert Lindblad-National Geographic expedition team members, including Lindblad naturalists, a National Geographic photographer and an undersea specialist, the Fellows will gain a wealth of knowledge to develop activities and lesson plans for their classrooms and to share with professional colleagues and communities upon returning home.
Before their expeditions, the Fellows will travel to Washington, D.C., for a pre-voyage workshop with hands-on sessions on outreach planning and photography as well as opportunities to learn about the ship, meet Lindblad Expeditions’ naturalists and network with previous years’ Fellows to maximize their experience.
“National Geographic is devoted to inspiring people to care about the planet, and for decades we’ve focused on K-12 education as one of the primary means to that end,” said Gary Knell, National Geographic Society president and CEO. “Not only does the Grosvenor Teacher Fellow Program allow these teachers to continue their education and training, but it provides innovative ways for them to interact with and influence their students, reaching a new generation of future leaders and explorers.”
“For years, this program has recognized outstanding educators who are committed to improving geographic education and ensuring that tomorrow’s leaders are responsible stewards of our ocean and our planet,” said Sven-Olof Lindblad, founder of Lindblad Expeditions. “We are delighted to provide these teachers with the opportunity to join us on our expeditions and honored to support a group of Fellows so strongly committed to geographic education.”
This is the eighth year of the Fellow Program, established to honor former National Geographic Society Chairman Gilbert M. Grosvenor’s lifetime commitment to geographic education. The expeditions aboard National Geographic Explorer were donated in perpetuity to the National Geographic Society by Sven-Olof Lindblad and Lindblad Expeditions to mark Grosvenor’s 75th birthday in 2006 and to honor his service to enhancing and improving geographic education across the United States. Additional support for the program is provided by Fund for Teachers, Google and private funders.