In recognition of commitment to geographic education, Media Arts Director Adrienne Forgette has been selected as one of the 2016 Lindblad Expeditions and National Geographic Grosvenor Teacher Fellows. Every year, K-12 educators are encouraged to apply for this professional development opportunity that allows them to bring immersive geographic learning experiences back to their classrooms and communities. Forgette is one of 35 highly respected educators from the United States and Canada to receive this honor.
“Teaching about the world makes students more empathetic, which is one of the traits I think is most important to develop if we hope to create compassionate individuals who think deeply about how their actions impact the world around them,” said Forgette. “My life is dedicated to creating educational opportunities for students to become passionate, informed global citizens.”
Later this year, she will embark on a 10-day Lindblad voyage aboard the National Geographic Endeavour to the Galápagos Islands for a one-of-a-kind field experience, accompanied by Lindblad-National Geographic expedition experts.
Before the voyage, Forgette will travel to the National Geographic Society (NGS) headquarters in Washington to participate in hands-on workshops covering photography and outreach, and will have the opportunity to meet Lindblad Expeditions’ naturalists and to network with previous years’ Fellows.
This year marks the 10th year of the Grosvenor Teacher Fellow Program, established to honor former NGS chairman Gilbert M. Grosvenor’s lifetime commitment to geographic education. The program began with two Fellows in 2007 and has grown each year. The expeditions were donated in perpetuity to the NGS by Sven-Olof Lindblad and Lindblad Expeditions to mark Grosvenor’s 75th birthday in 2006, and to honor his service in enhancing and improving geographic education across the United States.
"I hope my stories of the landscape and people I encounter on the expedition will inspire my students to go out and discover parts of the world currently unknown to them," added Forgette.
Forgette has taught Upper School communications courses at Darlington since 2014. She holds two B.A.s in English and in Educational Studies with Secondary English certification from Colgate University, as well as an M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Maryland, College Park. Forgette is a Master Journalism Educator and National Board Certified Teacher. Before coming to Darlington, she taught English at Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School in Oak Bluffs, Mass. She and her husband, Chris, are the parents of current students Loralei ('23) and Juliette ('23).
Click here for more information about Forgette and the other Grosvenor Teacher Fellows.
With a mission to inspire, illuminate and teach, the National Geographic Society is one of the world’s largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations. The member-supported Society, which believes in the power of science, exploration and storytelling to change the world, reaches over 600 million people each month through its media platforms, products and events. National Geographic has funded more than 11,000 research, conservation and exploration projects, and its education programs promote geographic literacy.
Lindblad Expeditions, specialists in expedition travel, works in alliance with the NGS to inspire people to explore and care about the planet. As pioneers of global exploration, their collaboration in research, technology and conservation provides extraordinary travel experiences and disseminates geographic knowledge around the globe. Their educationally-oriented voyages to all seven continents allow guests to interact with and learn from leading scientists, naturalists and researchers while discovering stunning natural environments, above and below the sea, through state-of-the-art exploration tools. Destinations include the Galápagos, Antarctica, the Arctic, Baja California, Alaska, Costa Rica and Panama, the Amazon, Southeast Asia and the Pacific, Africa, Indian Ocean, Europe, the Mediterranean and beyond.
