School teachers embark on learning expeditions

This summer 18 Atlanta public-school teachers will close their classrooms and embark on odysseys around the world.

One, Neville McFarlane will attend a photovoltaic design and installation workshop in Colorado; Natalie Colbert will head to Switzerland, and Terri Dunson plans to volunteer in Chengdu, China.

Each trip is made possible through the Fund for Teachers grants for a total of some $77,000.

The winning essays revealed the teachers' hopes and dreams for their schools and classrooms. Here are some excerpts from their mission statements:

• Shemeicka Bean and Langston Longley, Stanton D.H. Elementary

• Trip: Japan, to study and learn techniques for teaching math.

• Mission: "We would like to learn the strategies used by Japanese educators to motivate their students to reach their full potential."

• Reosha Bush and Tiedra Hutchings, Alonzo A. Crim Open Campus High School

• Trip: England, to research the founding of Georgia

• Mission: "The purpose of this fellowship is to get beyond pictures, mental images and historical documents to real experiences that can be shared."

• Sydney Butler, Alonzo A. Crim Open Campus High School

• Trip: Spain, for an international conference on special education.

• Mission: "My desire is to tap into the rich resources of research based techniques ... of professionals from around the world."

• Natalie Colbert, Sutton Middle School; and Reginald Colbert, North Atlanta High School

• Trip: Switzerland's Verbier Festival Academy.

• Mission: "By immersing ourselves in this artistic environment at Verbier, we will be able to teach in a more holistic and thorough manner."

• Terri Dunson, Rivers Elementary

•Trip: China, to study giant panda breeding.

• Mission: "I want [students] to learn about wildlife conservation and to understand that ... they can indeed make a difference in the life of an animal living an entire continent away."

• Beverly Easterling, Kennedy Middle

• Trip: South Africa, to study racial reconciliation.

• Mission: "My hope would be to ... stop the cycle of violence as a form of conflict resolution."

• Sabrina Harris, Bolton Academy Elementary

• Trip: Costa Rica, to learn Spanish.

• Mission: "Because I have an increasing number of Spanish-speaking students and families every year, I need to be able to communicate clearly with them."

• Charon Kirkland, Woodson Elementary; and Lorrae Walker, Scott Elementary

• Trip: Dominica, to explore tropical conservation and ecology.

• Mission: "[We're] interested in learning innovative ways to teach science, while integrating technology, literacy, and mathematics."

• Amy Leonard, Grady High School

• Trip: Italy, to explore ancient Rome

• Mission: "I want to enlighten my students as to the "gray areas" of another culture, not what they did, but why."

• Breverly Littles, Young Middle School

• Trip: Spain, to research African influences on Spanish culture

• Mission: "I engage middle grades students in the Spanish language and culture every day, and I would love to experience the country firsthand in order to bring authentic instruction to my classroom."

• Neville McFarlane, Southside High

• Trip: Colorado, to attend a photovoltaic design and installation workshop.

• Mission: "I have a deep personal interest in renewable energy technologies and getting students more conscious of clean energy technologies."

• Angela Nelson, Garden Hills Elementary

• Trip: Egypt and Jordan, to learn teaching strategies and cultural differences related to ESL students

• Mission: "I hope to bring back and share my impressions of Islam and the Muslim people, providing insight for my school community into a region and people that I suspect is grossly misunderstood by many in our country."

• Xylecia Taylor, Williams Elementary

• Trip: Ghana, to help harvest biodiesel fuel and teach English

• Mission: "The Youth Institute for Science and Technology [in Agogo, Ghana] is teaching children how to create biodiesel energy from household products, specifically palm fruit."