Standing on the banks of the Sucasari River as dusk began to settle around me, I strained to hear the sound of approaching boats over the cacophony of rainforest insects and frogs.  

What do one tropical canopy researcher, a Minnesota teacher, and a bunch of teenagers have in common? On the surface, not much. But dig a bit deeper, or rather, climb a bit higher, and you will find a shared passion for exploring and understanding the intricacies of the Amazon rainforest canopy!

As a traveler, I look for the beauty in the everyday. The colourful sunsets, the peace hidden in the whitecap of a wave, and the freedom exuded by children flying high on the swings are all joys of an adventure.

Bags are packed, equipment checked, guidebooks read and re-read. We are ready! We already know more than the average Joe about the Amazon.  If we were preparing for a test, we’d expect an A+.

What do you do if you are a 3rd grader who desperately wants to visit a rainforest?

As students return to their classrooms following Spring break, many will share their stories of beaches with friends and family.  But for thirteen students from the Derryfield School in New Hampshire, the conversation will be very different:

“So what did you do on Spring Break?”

Are you familiar with one of the BEST environmental education programs in the US? If not, then you need to get to know PROJECT LEARNING TREE (aka PLT)!  This award-winning environmental education program is designed for teachers and other educators, parents, and community leaders working with youth from preschool through grade 12.

After poking around in the leaf litter and climbing into the canopy of the Amazon, it seems we might have discovered a new species of STEM. We affectionately call it by its common name, STEMazon.  Although not officially described by STEMologists, we have petitioned to give it a proper scientific name - Stemus amazonicus. 

Thirty educators from across the US departed for the Amazon last week to participate in a unique professional development program – The 2013 Educator Academy in the Amazon Rainforest sponsored by EcoTeach

Back in the day, science was often relegated to wealthy, self-funded explorers and “gentlemen scientists” the likes of Benjamin Franklin, Charles Darwin, and Isaac Newton. One could argue that they were the original “citizen scientists” but back then you had to have money and time to explore the world and formulate big thoughts.