News Release: Two Washington Educators Granted Prestigious Grosvenor Teacher Fellowship

Posted Date: 5/06/24 (10:28 AM)

Pictured: Oak Harbor Public Schools teacher Zac Sawhill (photo credit to Joy Asico-Smith National Geographic Society GTF); Monroe School District teacher Sabrina Shaw

Lindblad Expeditions and National Geographic Society announced two Washington educators are among the 35 educators nationwide selected to be a part of the 2024 Grosvenor Teacher Fellowship (GTF). Oak Harbor High School teacher Zac Sawhill and Sky Valley Education Center teacher Sabrina Shaw of the Monroe School District were selected for their commitment to preserving the environment and shaping the next generation of planetary stewards.

The GTF is a professional development opportunity for pre-K–12 educators made possible by a partnership between Lindblad Expeditions and the National Geographic Society. An annual competitive application process is used to select educators and host them aboard Lindblad Expeditions’ voyages for a life-changing, field-based experience.

“I am feeling super honored to be selected. Experiences like this keep my passion for education and the environment alive,” said Sawhill.

Sawhill will be traveling to Antarctica to enhance his knowledge of the geographic region and ecosystems on the continent at the edge of the world. He hopes to bring back hands-on, field-based experience to share with his students and school community.

“I am most looking forward to bringing back learning to my students through my daily journals and video diary of my expeditions,” said Sawhiil.

Shaw, from the Monroe School District, will travel to the Arctic while Circumnavigating Iceland. On her expedition, she hopes to spark curiosity about the ecosystems, biospheres, people, and animals who share our planet.

“I’m excited to return with my nature journal full of observations, photographs, and questions that will inspire students to ask and answer their own questions about the natural world. They’ve already given me a long list of questions they’d like me to explore,” said Shaw.

As a teacher in the Environmental Studies Program, she sees this as an opportunity to further develop National Geographic’s Explorer Mindset with her students.

“I want students to see themselves as stewards of this planet and feel empowered to speak out and enact change when they see a need in the world,” said Shaw.

The fellowship will provide these two outstanding educators with hands-on learning that will transform the way they teach, engage, and bring geographic awareness to their schools and community.

The Oak Harbor Public Schools and Monroe School District are proud of our educators' accomplishments and look forward to seeing the impact they will make in their classrooms and community when they return from their expeditions.

For more information about the Grosvenor Teacher Fellowships and the National Geographic Society, visit the National Geographic Society website.

Oak Harbor Public Schools Media Contact:
Sarah Foy, APR, Communications Officer
Sfoy@ohsd.net
360-279-4045

Monroe School District Media Contact:
Tamara Krache, Communications Manager
krachet@monroe.wednet.edu
360-804-2607