ADVENTURE

Teacher to study the Polar Ice Cap

incredible opportunity. She is looking The by Jane Silver deena Teres, a teacher at Marjory forward to braving extreme weather and teacher Stoneman Douglas High School in conducting real scientific research in is most ACoral Springs, is going on the trip the Arctic. A Philadelphia native, Teres excited to see of a lifetime. She will be traveling with knows the snow and what she has what it’s like to do real field research. PolarTREC (Teachers and Researchers seen is nothing compared to what lies Teres anticipates recording personal Exploring and Collaborating) to ahead. She will explore and share this memories based on these adventures. explore the polar ice cap in Greenland. experience with her students via the She hopes to gain “a fresh outlook PolarTREC is a company devoted to Internet. on science” and bring her newfound providing polar research-based travel Teres applied for the trip a couple of enthusiasm to the classroom. “I would opportunities to educators in grades times before she was finally accepted. like to learn more about polar science, K-12. She was persistent because as she learn more about what NASA is doing, and what other projects are out there for NASA will fund Teres as part of explained, “It’s just something I’ve never different scientists and teachers,” Teres Operation Ice Bridge, a scientific done before.” said. exploration in its ninth straight year to During the survey mission, Teres will measure changes record the amount of ice in the Arctic, She is eager to learn and grow as a in the elevation conduct basic research, and collect person, a teacher, and as a student, of the ice sheet data. Her curiosity and passion for the herself. “This is a one-of-a-kind chance and sea ice subject will power her forward as she to have a cultural immersion and gain extent. shares newfound knowledge with her valuable life skills,” she said. “I definitely want to see a polar bear, a crevasse, ice Teres is students from this life-changing journey. calving (the breaking of ice chunks from grateful for this Teres already has plans to incorporate the edge of a glacier), snow-covered the trip into her curriculum, and she mountains, an expanse of white…which knows that it will benefit her students. in my mind is almost unfathomable.” “They’re going to learn what it’s like to be a real scientist,” she said. For Teres, this mission of stepping out of her comfort zone and the Florida Teres will be collaborating with other sunshine into the chilly Arctic air will be teachers and posting her experiences unforgettable. Her students are lucky in an online journal, so everyone will to have a teacher who is devoted to be able to follow her on her mission. her craft, passionate about delving into According to Teres, the journal will be uncharted territory, and sharing her interactive, allowing her students to knowledge with them. P ask questions, and her to answer them directly.

Adeena Teres 96 MAY 2017