Local educator uses her recent trip to Antarctica to empower students

REXBURG, Idaho (KIFI/KIDK) - Madison Middle School students are getting a detailed look at life on the ice thanks to Sharee Barton.

The National Geographic educator just came back from a two-week exploration trip with National Geographic in Antarctica.

Her journey consisted of penguins, elephant seals, whales, kayaking, interacting with educators, naturalists, and scientists and most importantly learning.

"If I had to describe my experience in three words, I think, of course, one of them would be exploration, responsibility, and connectivity," Barton said.

Besides bringing her two-week living essentials, there was one thing Barton couldn't leave Idaho without- her students. "I took pictures of my students with me, and I sat them out in the snow, and I took photos of my students in Antarctica. I promised them that if they were explorers before I went and researched Antarctica that I would take them to Antarctica with me," Barton said.

By sharing her expedition with her students, barton hopes it will spark curiosity, "Our students today are tomorrow's planetary stewards, and they feel more responsibility when they understand more about the different places in the world that we have to explore," Barton said.

Exploration that she hopes will begin in Idaho.

"I hope to encourage them to explore in their own backyard. Exploration can happen right here in Idaho. We have so many beautiful places that we can be great stewards of and that we can learn from," Barton said.

By learning more about the world, students will be more curious about their home.

"What can we do here, to make sure that our ripple effect is as clean as possible, and that we can manage our resources as best we can to be good stewards?" Barton said.

Barton's trip was part of the Grosvenor Teacher Fellowship program with National Geographic and Lindblad Expeditions.