Grosvenor Teacher Fellows

Lyanne Abreu is the Environmental Academy lead teacher at TERRA Environmental Research Institute, a high school in Miami, Florida. She is an avid outdoors person and likes to impart her fondness for wild spaces to her students to give them a greater level of connectivity with the world while encouraging them to become lifelong environmental stewards.

An educator for over 20 years, Svea Anderson teaches sixth grade at Agua Caliente Elementary School in Tucson, Arizona. She believes students learn best from hands-on experiences and strives to offer them opportunities outside of the classroom, such as participating in a citizen science project in Agua Caliente Park. Svea spent the summer of 2018 conducting research on the North Slope of the Brooks Range, in Alaska, as a PolarTREC educator.

Rachael Arens teaches AP environmental science, anatomy/physiology, and plants/propagation at Northwest High School in Omaha, Nebraska, and is an Ed.D. candidate in teacher education. Rachael is passionate about empowering her students to become global citizens and environmental stewards through service learning and social action. To encourage global citizenship, she inspires students to develop critical thinking skills, curiosity, and empathy, and to view the world through a global lens.

A 30-year veteran teacher, Sharee Barton believes that passion drives instruction. As an educator of elementary gifted and talented students in Rexburg, Idaho, she strives to empower youth to become global stewards, fostering an explorer mindset as her students research and act to solve real-world problems. Sharee is a National Geographic Certified Educator and National Geographic GeoChallenge Regional Coordinator, and sits on the National Geographic Idaho Advisory Council.

Ashlee Beckett is a National Board–certified sixth-grade geography teacher in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. A National Geographic Certified Teacher and mentor, Ashlee is passionate about traveling and instilling in her students curiosity and empathy for the cultures of the world while helping them become global citizens. She has received Duquesne University School of Education Alumni Educator of the Year Award and the Duquesne University Alumni Association’s Mind, Heart and Spirit Award.

Kelly Blais is a seventh-grade science teacher and summer STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) coordinator at David R. Cawley Middle School in Hooksett, New Hampshire. She is also a doctoral student in education at Northeastern University. In the classroom, Kelly creates authentic learning opportunities for her students. She strives to help her students make connections between what they’re learning in class and what they’re experiencing in their own lives.

Cindy Bloom teaches seventh-grade social studies at Comstock Middle School in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and works to spark curiosity in her students. Serving learners that often feel disenfranchised, Cindy strives to provide them with knowledge to understand, teach them skills to investigate, and inspire an interest in the larger world, empowering them to make a difference. Cindy also works with the Michigan Geographic Alliance, developing and presenting content-dense, high-quality workshops for teachers.

Cara Bucciarelli teaches Spanish to students in kindergarten through eighth grade at LaSalle II Magnet School in Chicago, Illinois. She is passionate about helping her students become engaged global citizens. A facilitator for the National Geographic Educator Certification program and a 2011 Fund for Teachers Fellow, Cara brings the varied perspectives of the Spanish-speaking world into her classroom through interdisciplinary units that celebrate diversity, encourage inquiry, and make the unfamiliar familiar.

Peter Cameron teaches fifth and sixth grades in Thunder Bay, Canada, instilling in his students that they have a profound ability to make a difference. Peter is a National Geographic Education Ambassador; a Google Earth Education Expert; co-founder of #MADPD, a virtual education conference; and co-author of “Blue Gold,” a Google Earth Voyager story. His class established the Junior Water Walkers, a student-centered global initiative, in 2018.

Laura Chase teaches high school biology, chemistry, and English as a second language science in Washington, D.C., where she brings her love of nature into the classroom. Driven by student-centered inquiries, Laura’s class is bustling, noisy, and messy in its productivity. She designs interdisciplinary projects that challenge students to develop intellectual curiosities, and that establish in her students a sense of responsibility for the natural world and their place within it.

Tracy Crowley is an information literacy coach at Jack London Middle School in Wheeling, Illinois. She advocates for challenge- and interest-based learning, and encourages students to use technology to solve real-world problems. Tracy partners with outside organizations to connect students with experts, enhancing the curriculum and inspiring students to take action. Passionate about global education, she is a Global Goals Ambassador for the United Nations Association of Chicago.

Claire Flynn is the STEM Initiatives (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Initiatives) program director at the Long Island Children’s Museum in New York, where she teaches science to young learners, runs a middle school after-school program, and mentors a group of teenage volunteers. As an informal educator, she hopes to foster a lifelong love of learning and instill a sense of curiosity in her students through hands-on experiences.

Cultural geographer and educator Kevin S. Fox is founding director of The Geographical Imaginations Expedition & Institute. Through the institute’s radio show and podcast, Geographical Imaginations: Radio Expeditions Into the Geographies of Everything and Nothing, he models the process of inquiry. Committed to exploring the role of 21st-century global citizens with his students, Kevin teaches Advanced Placement human geography at George School, an international Quaker boarding school in Newtown, Pennsylvania.

Stefanie Frump teaches honors biology and marine science at Largo High School in Pinellas County, Florida. She has taught in a variety of environments including both informal and formal science settings. Stefanie’s passion for the ocean is woven into her curriculum by exposing students to projects that apply to real-world scenarios. Her mission is to teach students to think critically about solutions to complex problems involving our ocean.

Allison Fuisz works with students in a grade seven and eight French immersion/gifted program at Bell High School in Ottawa, Canada. She strives to use an integrative approach to learning for geography, science, history, and health with meaningful technology integration in mind. Each day presents a new opportunity for a messy, creative, and fun learning experience that empowers students to be advocates and changemakers for our shared planet. A Teach SDGs ambassador, she believes in fostering a positive mental attitude in her students.

Shane Heath, a high school science teacher in Northfield, Vermont, has taught courses in biology, chemistry, environmental science, and digital STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math). A finalist for the 2019 Vermont Teacher of the Year, Shane is passionate about incorporating scientific inquiry and real-world problems into his courses, especially those related to conservation and sustainability. He also encourages his students to use digital technology to express their ideas creatively.

Maeve Hitzenbuhler coordinates second-language programs for culturally and linguistically diverse students. She works with families to make their immigration journeys visible and to foster understanding in the community of the diverse environments they came from. She has taught in New York, Massachusetts, Puerto Rico, Peru, Israel, and Japan and been awarded Fulbright fellowships to India, Morocco/Tunisia, and Thailand/Vietnam. Recently, she received a Fulbright Distinguished Award in Teaching to Botswana.

Joya Holden teaches fourth graders at Keystone School in San Antonio, Texas. She is also a team manager and coach for Destination Imagination, an educational organization that promotes creativity in young people. Joya continuously incorporates creativity, critical thinking skills, communication, and collaboration into her lessons and classroom culture. She challenges her students to stay curious, be problem finders, and work together to make positive changes in the world.

Kerry Hynes is a STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) educator and sustainability coordinator at P.S. 176 in Brooklyn, New York. She brings sustainability and conservation lessons to her students through the school’s Maker Lab, which allows students to explore topics through innovative projects. By sparking an adventure mindset in the classroom, Kerry enables her students to visualize ways they can positively contribute to the world.

Leticia Guzman Ingram teaches English as a second language, biology, and film studies at Basalt High School in Colorado. The 2016 Colorado Teacher of the Year, Leticia is passionate about developing community partnerships, expanding global perspectives, and creating lifelong learners. She pushes her students to think outside the box and explore the world around them to help them become environmental stewards.

Amanda Killough teaches ninth-grade social studies in Flower Mound, Texas. She is passionate about sharing the world with students through the lens of geography, opening their minds to other cultures and perspectives, and encouraging her students to be a positive change for the future. In recognition of her work, she has received the National Council for Geographic Education Distinguished Teacher Award and Texas Council for the Social Studies Teacher of the Year.

A lifelong learner whose passions include education and exploration, Erin Kowalevicz teaches first grade at Randolph Elementary School in Arlington, Virginia. Her teaching is influenced by the diverse students she educates and her previous teaching experiences abroad. Erin is committed to guiding her young learners to be caring, internationally minded global citizens who take action to make the world a better place.

Abbey Kuhns teaches reading and math enrichment at Gunnison Elementary School in Gunnison, Colorado. She loves working with gifted and talented students because they challenge her to bring depth and complexity to every learning opportunity. Abbey draws inspiration from the natural world and strives to create learning experiences where inquiry and exploration are the focus, regardless of the curriculum.

Alisha Lindsey teaches seventh- and eighth-grade social studies at Bradford K-8 in Littleton, Colorado. She is trained in Buck Institute for Education Project Based Learning and is passionate about designing authentic learning experiences that extend beyond the classroom to foster the development of responsible global citizens and lifelong learners.

Jessica Lura is the director of strategic initiatives and partnerships at Bullis Charter School in Los Altos, California. A National Board–certified teacher, she works with students and teachers to support their learning and spark curiosity. Jessica’s goal is to help her learners develop the skills, attitudes, and knowledge to be active and responsible participants in today’s global society.

Lori Martin teaches gifted middle school students in the diverse urban core of Kansas City, Kansas. She empowers her students to change the world by focusing her lessons on gaining conceptual knowledge, exploring ideas, and modeling solutions. She engages her students with world explorations in problem-based learning. Lori believes that global connectedness sparks curiosity, generates questions, and creates hope for the future.

Lynsey Montgomery teaches third grade at Johnson Elementary School in Mesa, Arizona. She is passionate about providing students with meaningful learning experiences that enable them to gain a global perspective, understand the importance of conservation, and increase their geographic literacy. These experiences motivate students to become global citizens, lifelong learners, and environmental stewards. Lynsey holds a master’s degree in biology from Miami University’s Project Dragonfly and Advanced Inquiry Program.

Dave Ostheimer is a first-grade teacher at Kathleen H. Wilbur Elementary School in Bear, Delaware. He is a founding and current member of the Delaware Teachers Institute, for which he has written and published eight curricular units on various subjects including Islam, the history of storytelling, and the scientific method. Dave was a 2016 Yale National Initiative Fellow and a 2018 NEA Foundation Global Learning Fellow.

Kerry Piper teaches environmental science at Apex High School, just outside Raleigh, North Carolina. Her background as a world traveler and passion for education allow her to expand learning beyond the four walls of the classroom and into her students' daily lives. She strives to develop their critical thinking skills and empower her students so they can react to the changing world and ultimately make it a better place.

Michael A. Pope is a middle school science teacher at Zama Middle High School, a U.S. Department of Defense Education Activity school in Japan. He hopes to inspire a love of learning in his students and for them to become globally aware citizen scientists. As a Teacher for Global Classrooms Fellow he traveled to Colombia in 2018 and as an NEA Foundation Global Learning Fellow he will travel to South Africa in 2019.

Mary (Beth) Quinones teaches accelerated biology and forensics at Sycamore High School in Cincinnati, Ohio. She strives to empower students by making connections between scientific topics and the social, environmental, and biological issues in today’s society. Students are given the knowledge and confidence to take action as stewards of our planet. Beth plans to tie the ecological impact of invasive species in the Galápagos Islands to her classroom lessons.

Jessica Rodarte teaches world history at Ramon C. Cortines School of Visual and Performing Arts in Los Angeles, California. Her passion for history stems from her love of culture and travel. Jessica instills in her students a similar love for history, an acknowledgement of the interconnectedness of the world, and a recognition of the importance of perspective in history.

Addie Schafer teaches at a STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) elementary school in Loudoun County, Virginia, focusing on real-world learning, coding, and engineering. She integrates the arts into all the subjects she teaches. A former Fulbright teacher in Malaysia, Addie has also worked in youth prisons and classrooms on mission trips in Central America and completed a summer study at the University of Cambridge on British English literature. Addie will be transitioning into teaching high school drama next year.

Blade Shepherd-Jones teaches middle school science at Waimanalo Elementary & Intermediate School in Hawaii. Using the principles of the nonprofit co-operative Philosophy for Children, Blade engages his students in self-inquiry to give them the tools they need to face challenges. Blade’s joy is to see students awed by life and wants to protect it. He is also an avid scuba diver and serves as a lieutenant in the United States Coast Guard Reserve.

Rick Sleeter teaches field classes in anthropology, archaeology, forensics, world geography, and history at Eldorado High School in Albuquerque, New Mexico. His primary mission is to develop STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) projects that connect students with community partners. Rick uses ambitious real-world, project-based learning to help his students increase their critical thinking skills, learn how to use 21st-century technology, and enjoy their education.

Ruth Smith teaches eighth grade at Hepburn School in Saskatchewan, Canada. She has combined her love of teaching and traveling to participate in professional development programs around the world. Ruth uses these experiences to bring the world to her classroom through activities, pen pals, global education, pictures, and entertaining stories. She hopes to inspire her students to do their own traveling and experience other cultures and environments as global citizens.

Sean Smyth is the head of English and humanities at The Study Academy, an independent school for gifted and learning-exceptional students in Toronto, Canada, where he teaches middle school social studies, English, and outdoor education. Having taught in four countries, Sean is passionate about integrating varying perspectives into his classroom and challenging his students to tackle real-world problems, helping them realize their potential to be engaged global citizens.

Stacey Snyder is an expanded learning program and gifted-student resource teacher at Orange and Lowell Elementary Schools in Waterloo, Iowa, where she extends student learning and supports teacher understanding of advanced thinkers. Stacey encourages student inquiry through citizen science and student-led questions. Classroom themes in her room include exploration, adventure, curiosity, and evidence-seeking. She also provides student opportunities to recognize their connection to the world and to celebrate diversity and sustainability.

Ecologist Alexandra Sorin is a French-immersion elementary educator with the Toronto District School Board. She blends inquiry-based learning and STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) education to help her students apply their knowledge, attitudes, and skills to become global citizens and conscientious stewards engaged in taking action in their daily lives.

Melinda (Mindy) Steele teaches STEM  (science, technology, engineering, and math) education in transitional kindergarten through sixth grade for the Cypress School District in Cypress, California. She loves letting her students problem solve with one another and have the freedom to fail along the way. She believes that early exposure to hands-on science in elementary school is crucial and works to connect her students’ learning to what’s happening in their local community.

Noreen Syed teaches middle school science at Gill St. Bernard’s School in Gladstone, New Jersey. She also serves as the director of the STREAMS Program, a place-based and outdoor education curriculum that focuses on sustainability, technology, research, engineering, agriculture, math, and service. Noreen sees herself as an explorer, creating meaningful experiences that empower her students to fall in love with the Earth and make this planet a better place.

Melissa Tracy is a National Board–certified ninth-11th-grade social studies teacher at Odyssey Charter School, a dual-language Greek school in Wilmington, Delaware. At her school, Melissa is also the teacher adviser for Model United Nations and the Youth in Government program, and the garden program coordinator for kindergarten through 12th grade. Melissa is passionate about civic education, global studies, and teacher leadership.

Jean Turney teaches third grade at The Biome School, a public charter school in St. Louis, Missouri. She believes meaningful relationships are central to learning and defines her role as a facilitator of experiences that help students make sense of the world around them and their role in it. Jean considers the classroom to be the front line of community organizing and hope-building.

Nicole Vickerman teaches world geography at Clark High School in Plano, Texas. She has traveled extensively on teacher fellowships to places like Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, and Japan, and shares her passion for global cultures and landscapes with her students through learner-centered instruction. Her mission is to inspire effective, empathetic, and empowered global explorers. A sponsor of the Junior World Affairs Council, she also helps promote National Geographic Educator Certification.

Jennie Warmouth teaches second grade at Spruce Elementary School in Lynnwood, Washington. She holds a Ph.D. in human development and cognition and has expertise in the psychology of human-animal interaction and the development of empathy. Jennie engages her students through an integrative, interdisciplinary, and experiential approach to instruction that illuminates the interconnectedness between humans, animals, and environment. She is also a Fulbright alumna, university instructor, and children’s book author.