Our “How I Spent My Summer” series follows the experiences of teachers who were awarded the Fund for Teachers grant through the Atlanta Education Fund. Next up: Last year’s APS Teacher of the Year Charon Kirkland (pictured above) of Carter G. Woodson Elementary and her team member, Scott Elementary‘s Lorrae Walker. The pair traveled to the island of Dominica. Their goal, as they told the AJC: to explore tropical conservation and ecology. Kirkland picks up the story …
Have you ever visited a place that was naturally beautiful and peaceful? On May 31, 2009, my team member, Lorrae Walker, and I set foot on the rugged terrain of Dominica. This little known island is commonly mistaken for the Dominican Republic, but it is a totally different island situated between the islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe. Dominica is known as the “nature island” because of its undisturbed natural habitats that include a diverse ecology. These sites have been preserved as national parks and supported by UNESCO, which is what drew our attention to the island. Our Fund for Teachers grant focused on exploring the tropical ecology and conservation practices on the island through a partnership with the Atlanta Botanical Garden. We explored this tiny island that spans 29 miles long and 16 miles wide for seven days of pure adventure.