Manitoba Museum Educator Travels North to Teach Students About Climate Change.

Most students can’t wait for school to end in June and they certainly aren’t thinking of heading north for their holidays.  But this summer, 80 students buck this trend and join the Students On Ice Arctic Youth Expedition and head to the Arctic to explore the effects of climate change and other environmental issues on this delicate ecosystem.

The Students on Ice Arctic Youth Expedition represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for youth to expand their knowledge about the circumpolar world, and to gain a new global perspective on the planet, its wonders, and its present and future challenges.

The ship- and land-based journey will explore the eastern Canadian Arctic and western Greenland between July 29 and August 13, 2012. It will involve 80 international high school students, 14 to 18 years old, and a team of 35 world-class scientists, historians, artists, explorers, educators, leaders, innovators and polar experts. Students on this summer's expedition will develop the knowledge, skills, perspectives and practices that will help them to be Arctic ambassadors and environmentally responsible citizens.

Mike Jensen, who works at The Manitoba Museum, is making his 4th consecutive trip into the Arctic with the program and is the sole Manitoban representative. “What surprised me most is just how diverse an ecosystem it really is – very vibrant with plant, animal and marine life,” says Jensen.  “Most people think of the polar region as very barren and cold – but it truly is alive.  And the weather is so wide ranging.  Some days I’m in shorts and a t-shirt and others I’m wearing layers of clothing on the deck and still can’t get warm.”

 One of the unique aspects of the Arctic trip is that 40% of the students are from Canada’s northern regions of Yukon, NWT and Nunavut.  The other 60% come from all over the world. This year’s group has representatives from all across Canada, Russia, the United States and even Greenland.

“The best part of the trip is meeting and working with these teenagers,” says Jensen. “Every year, the new crop of eager and dynamic kids just completely inspires me.”

The themes of the 2012 Arctic Expedition are Interconnection, Discovery and Transformation. Within this framework, students will learn about the changes taking place in the Arctic environment and how these are linked to broader global environmental changes. They will explore how human and natural systems are inextricably connected and consider how each of us personally relates to the natural world. Students will also examine how personal and societal transformation can take place and they will be asked to consider how their own unique skills and interests can help to bring about positive change to their own lives, communities and the world around us.

Expedition activities will include extraordinary wildlife encounters, educational day excursions, visits to remote Arctic communities and archeological sites, and opportunities to acquire first-hand knowledge and insight into the dynamics of climate change. Participants will likely encounter whales, seals, polar bears, caribou, seabirds, walruses and more. The expedition team will be a part of a powerful cross-cultural experience though which they will gain perspective on the planet and their homes.

For more on this expedition, click on:  http://www.studentsonice.com/arctic2012/