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Educators immerse themselves in cultures
In What's Right with Tampa Bay, FOX 13's Mark Wilson highlights the Kuhn Fund for Positive Difference and the Jenkins Fund for Teaching Excellence. They allow Berkeley Preparatory School educators to immerse themselves in cultures beyond the classroom by providing trips around the world.
TAMPA - A group of Berkeley Preparatory School educators took their passion for teaching beyond the classroom by traveling across four continents to immerse themselves in unique cultural and service experiences.
Thanks to the Kuhn Fund for Positive Difference and the Jenkins Fund for Teaching Excellence, 12 faculty members embarked on life-changing journeys designed to deepen their understanding of the world and their kids they teach.
A group of Berkeley Preparatory School educators were immersed in cultures beyond the classroom by traveling across four continents.
What they're saying:
"It's an incredible opportunity to be able to do that for professional development," said art teacher, Sabreena Jeru-Ahmed.
Nancy Ansinelli, art teacher at the school says, "We've encouraged other people, go for it, dream big because we dreamed big, and we got it."
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Global Studies' teacher Antonia Palmeri spent most of her trip at an elephant sanctuary.
She fully immersed herself in the role of a caretaker for elephants, living and working alongside them for four days and three nights.
A group of Berkeley Preparatory School educators were immersed in cultures beyond the classroom by traveling across four continents.
"It was a lot of work, and I was exhausted," said Palmeri. "There was no AC, there was no hot water, but it was so much fun. They are the most gentle giants ever and prima donnas as well."
But her experience extended beyond the elephants. She also visited ancient temples, where monks encouraged her to bring kindness and meditation into her teaching.
Meanwhile, Ansinelli and Jeru-Ahmed turned their love for Vincent van Gogh into an extraordinary journey.
With the help of a Jenkins Fund grant, the duo traveled to Amsterdam to explore the artist’s world firsthand.
"We decided that It would be fun to go somewhere where we could learn a little bit more about Van Gogh and bring that back to share with our children," Ansinelli said.
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Their experience is now shaping how they teach art history and creative expression in the classroom.
"It's nothing like being in the space with that art, you know, in the same air and just right in front of it," said Jeru-Ahmed. "It really informs your teaching to be able to go to where the art is."
Big picture view:
In total, 12 educators went on 11 journeys, each returning with powerful experiences to share with Berkeley Preparatory School.
A group of Berkeley Preparatory School educators were immersed in cultures beyond the classroom by traveling across four continents.
"There is nowhere else in, probably the world, that your job allows you to do that," Palmeri said.
Other faculty members traveled to Mexico, Portugal and the U.K.
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The Source: Information for this story was gathered by FOX 13's Bryan Gray.
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