Polar Education Foundation

Programs: The organization sponsors educational activities within schools dealing with the polar regions. The organization also develops materials for teachers to use in their curriculum on the polar regions. In addition to the in-school educational activities, the organization provides students, teachers and scientists with the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to explore the arctic and the antarctic by hosting research and educational expeditions to those areas. Each year, there is one trip to the artic and one trip to antarctica. The cost per person is approximately $10,000. The organization believes that the students who are selected to participate in an expedition will learn invaluable lessons and will return to their homes and schools as "polar ambassadors" for the environment. It is hoped that these students will encourage and foster environmental awareness and conservation in their peers. Each admitted student will participate in a comprehensive educational program which will begin with preparatory study and research prior to the expedition. During the expedition, experienced experts will be on board offering seminars, workshops and lectures focused on many topics including the history, geography, culture, science, flora and fauna of the arctic or antarctic. The expedition staff will include international scientists conducting on-going research projects in which the students will be able to participate. Daily field excursions in the arctic and antarctica will bring their studies to life and make the overall experience even more enriching and life changing. The reporting organization granted $195,000 to students on ice foundation in canada to provide student scholarships and support for a scholarship endowment fund.