As the beginning of the school year rolls around, students are in a frenzy as talk of the famous Europe trips begin to start. Whether it’s your first time hearing about one, you’ve got one in two years, or this coming spring break you’ll be gone it will be impossible to avoid mentions of them. But for the first time, there’s an opportunity to not just learn about history but to be apart of the future.
Over the course of the next few years, Earthwatch will begin to add competition to the “trip” culture that envelopes Glendora High School. Earthwatch is a non-profit environmental organization that works to pair willing students and teachers with scientists who are in the middle of research. Rather than spending time riding gondolas in Venice or enjoying the countryside in Spain, you could be in Costa Rica studying monkeys, toucans, and parrots, or in the Bahamas studying sea turtles alongside others who have the same love for science.
Mr. Izell will be the first of the GHS life science teachers to take a step toward being able to lead kids on these once in a lifetime opportunities. This summer, he will be taking a trip to Costa Rica to study toucans and assist with actual research that will be published. Not only will he be helping to study, but he will be learning how to lead groups of students to do the same thing.
“While we breed fish in AP Biology to help us better understand the way the science of it all works, being able to actively participate in studies and research while being able to travel to amazing places is something that I think the students of Glendora High School are going to love.” Mr. Izell shared.
While competition with the “Europe trips” of GHS is something that’s a force to be reckoned with, Mr. Izell has high hopes that “this is the kind of trip that’s for the science-minded kids. It isn’t for everyone and we want students who have the passion for biology, science, and above all else: fun."
Whether it’s for a fantastic trip with friends, being able to see different creatures like you never thought possible, getting to travel to exciting parts of the world with your favorite science teachers, or even for a college application, a trip with Earthwatch and the GHS Science Department is without a doubt a chance to change your life. If you’re a driven, curious, and science-loving student, find Mr. Izell on campus to ask about how to get a spot on the journey of a lifetime.
