“Teaching the teachers is like planting seeds of knowledge that will blossom into a forest of conservation-minded individuals, nurturing the next generation to become stewards of our planet.”
—Dr. Jane Goodall

On the western edge of Hudson Bay just below the Arctic Circle, the tiny Manitoba community of Churchill attracts between 600–1,000 polar bears that migrate to the area each fall. The spectacular gathering is the largest concentration of polar bears on the planet! Two outstanding teachers, Nicole Stonerook and Sammy DeCuollo, earned the opportunity to witness the King of the Arctic in Churchill, Canada—known as the “Polar Bear Capital of the World”—and returned inspired to share their newfound knowledge in the classroom.

The winners of our Churchill Polar Bear Scholarship Grant joined the October 7–13, 2024 departure of our Tundra Lodge & Churchill Highlights adventure (a $10,495 value) and received free round-trip airfare to Winnipeg, Manitoba, where the trip begins and ends. Nicole and Sammy explored the tundra on a small-group adventure that included two nights at the Tundra Lodge, our private mobile hotel stationed each season in a remote area of high polar bear density. In the company of expert naturalist guides, they sought out the King of the Arctic as they learned about the precarious balance between polar bear survival and sea ice. They came away awed by encounters with these magnificent marine mammals and inspired by the exploits of polar scientists who have made crucial contributions to conservation in the Canadian North.

This inuksuk, an Inuit stone landmark, is located on the shores of Hudson Bay.

This inuksuk, an Inuit stone landmark, is located on the shores of Hudson Bay. © Scholarship Winner Nicole Stonerook

From the Tundra to the Classroom

Sammy is an integrated environmental science and AP physics teacher at Woodstock Union High School Middle School in Vermont, while Nicole is an 8th-grade science teacher at Portsmouth Middle School in New Hampshire. Ever since they returned from their polar bear adventure, they have been bringing all they learned into the classroom—Nicole was even featured teaching a polar bear lesson in a local news segment!

“They’re an incredible species…I have a new love for polar bears. I love telling people about them and the things I’ve learned about them,” raves Nicole. Talking about her teaching style: “I really push curiosity and engagement. My whole goal is that I just want you to fall in love with science.”

“Ms. Stonerook is a really great teacher, and learning about polar bears made them less scary,” said one of her students during a polar bear science activity.

In addition to many polar bear sightings, Nicole saw other wildlife including Arctic hares, willow ptarmigans, bald eagles and foxes, and was even treated to a northern lights display.

In addition to many polar bear sightings, Nicole saw other wildlife including Arctic hares, willow ptarmigans, bald eagles and foxes, and was even treated to a northern lights display! © Scholarship Winner Nicole Stonerook

Lessons in Conservation

Long a bellwether species for tracking the impacts of climate change, polar bears gather in Churchill for roughly six weeks each fall as they wait for the sea ice to form. There, they will spend the winter hunting seals. Scientific models predict a dramatic loss of sea ice and drastic declines in the polar bear population if global warming continues unchecked. Educating the next generation of conservation champions is more essential than ever—we can’t wait to welcome our next teachers who receive our 2025 Polar Bear Scholarship, open to apply now!

In 2024, Nat Hab also offered four monarch butterfly scholarship grants, bringing the year total to six all-expenses-paid trips for educators. Read about the experiences of our 2023 winners Princess Harris and Stacey Leffler, who witnessed millions of monarchs gathered at their winter roosting sites in Central Mexico’s forested highlands.