Faculty Travel Near and Far

Two teachers travelled to Iceland. Science teacher Kathleen Nicholson toured natural wonders of the country, including hot springs, glaciers, and geysers while looking at climate change and current sustainability practices, including the use of geothermal energy as a renewable energy source. Math teacher Sam Poland also visited a wide variety of natural sites in Iceland before heading to England and Ireland, while math teacher Elizabeth Wendorf returned to Italy to refresh her ability to communicate in Italian.

 

On the other side of the world, math and science teacher Rod Tayler was also looking at the effects of climate change on the low-lying Cook Islands in the South Pacific. He taught a high school class on water conservation, observed firsthand many of the effects of climate change, attended a political rally, and visited gardens and research facilities. He also met with government officials on one island to discuss environmental problems such as the effect of exotic species of wood on the water supply and to brainstorm solutions such as burning the wood as an energy source to reduce their dependence on diesel.

English teacher Mac Caplan and math teacher Kristin Harder both headed south of the border. Mac Caplan participated in an annual medical and public health brigade trip to Honduras, organized by the Organization for Community Health Outreach. His activities with the group ranged from filling prescriptions at a local clinic to meeting with a local coffee purveyor to investigate whether OCHO could import and sell coffee as a way to generate funds while reinvesting in the local economy.

Kristin Harder visited Cuba to study the history, culture, and politics through formal and informal tours and meetings. She visited historical sites, such as Hemingway’s home and the Che Guevara memorial, saw crumbling architectural gems, as well as community projects dedicated to beautifying neighborhoods during the extended economic recession. She was impressed by the high literacy rate (in a country with only one state run newspaper) and the return to organic farming (necessitated when Soviet fertilizer supplies dried up).

Closer to home, Director of Academic Counseling and Scheduling Carol Davidson attended a musical conference at Bennington College where she spent an intense week practicing and performing with a chamber music ensemble. Librarian and drama teacher Dianne Devore spent time in New York City auditing a program on how illuminated books were made, visiting public and private libraries by day and immersing herself in the theater by night.

“This year’s projects showed the wide range of faculty interests and were clear evidence of the faculty’s passion and dedication to the craft of teaching and their eagerness to grow by learning,” commented Spanish teacher Melinda Ryan who chairs the Faculty Enrichment Committee. “We can all look forward to sharing their journeys as grant recipients share their experiences with students and colleagues throughout the coming year.”

The recipients of these various grants all expressed their thanks to Rivers for the opportunity to continue on the journey of being life-long learners, honing well-developed skills, discovering new ones, and most importantly recognizing both the differences and similarities of people around the globe.

Mac Caplan summed up his experience, and the others would agree, “Thank you to the school for supporting my trip. It was an incredible experience for me and I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to participate in it.”