Prestigious fellowship will allow Framingham High teacher to spend a week in Alaska

FRAMINGHAM — A Framingham High School biology and environmental science teacher will spend the first week of June on Alaska's south coast, getting a firsthand experience with the direct impacts of climate change, deforestation and animal habitats.

Rebecca Maynard, who teaches biology and AP environmental science, is among 35 teachers from throughout the U.S. and Canada to be chosen for the Grosvenor Teacher Fellowship, which will take her to Alaska next month for a once-in-a-lifetime educational experience.

Maynard told the Daily News that she started as strictly a biology teacher, but grew to love environmental science through interacting with students.

"I was always a biology teacher, and I was asked to teach the AP Environmental Science course, and I said yes," she said in a recent interview. "I love biology, but this is the most important class I've ever taught. It can be hard, because it's depressing, but what gives me hope is the students. They care so much and they're ready to go into the field and have these innovative ideas."

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The drive to support students led Maynard to apply for various fellowship programs that would provide her with firsthand experience to bring into her classroom. Previous programs took her to Mexico and Costa Rica, and Maynard found out in February that she had landed her biggest one yet in the Grosvenor Teacher Fellowship.

Maynard inspired by meeting other educators on past fellowships

"On my past fellowships, I've met other educators who have been really inspiring," she said. "They've told me about these other opportunities and I decided to apply for this fellowship."

Maynard said she didn't get it the first year, but succeeded on the second try.

"I got a phone call," she said. "I originally missed it and I heard the message and I was so excited, I was in tears."

The fellowship is run through a partnership between National Geographic and Lindblad Expeditions, a travel company that specializes in taking tourists to hard-to-reach locations. The fellowship takes educators and allows them to travel at no cost on one of its expeditions, pairing them with professional researchers and guides, and allowing them ride aboard the state-of-the-art vessel National Geographic Quest.

Alaska trip will bring personal experience into the classroom

Maynard will be one of just two educators on the trip, along with a history teacher from Arkansas. Maynard said she's excited to go to Alaska for the first time as an adult (she lived there for a year as an infant). She'll be gone from June 2-9.

"We are starting in Sitka and ending up in Juneau," Maynard said. "I'm really interested in learning about how climate change is effecting a more sensitive ecosystem, and I'm excited to learn about what they're doing to protect those ecosystems. I want to be able to see some bears. We'll be kayaking on the expedition, so if I'm kayaking and if an orca (killer whale) comes over, that would be amazing."

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As part of the fellowship, Maynard will be tasked with creating a project upon her return that must involve her students in some capacity. She said she has some basic ideas, but will leave it until after the trip before deciding what the project will be.

"This is a two-year commitment," Maynard said. "I'm expected to do certain things when I get home. I will be making a presentation for my community, and I have to do some sort of project with my students."

Maynard says trip will provide firsthand experience with climate change

She said that by experiencing Alaska firsthand, she hopes she can bring real understanding of the impacts of climate change and other environmental issues, so that her students will better understand those changes.

"I'm excited to bring things back, and help share the experience with my community," Maynard said. "In my class we talk a lot about the importance of culture, so I'm hoping to be able to interact with Native Alaskans and see how climate change is impacting their culture."

Maynard said she's grateful to Framingham Public Schools for allowing her to take the week off during school to go on the fellowship.

Framingham High Principal Mark Albright praised Maynard for her dedication.

"Rebecca’s dedication to furthering her knowledge through amazing professional development opportunities, like this expedition, is only the tip of the iceberg on how she transforms the classroom atmosphere and inspires our students," Albright said. "We're excited to see this immediately enhance our students’ experience and further encourage lifelong learning."

This article originally appeared on MetroWest Daily News: Framingham teacher to visit Alaska as part of Grosvenor Fellowship