We’ve talked about hands-on learning for children on Untrained Housewife before, but what about adults? What about the teachers who are the ones teaching our community’s children on a daily basis? I love the Hilton HHonors Teacher Treks which will send 15 teachers to a location related to their teaching focus as part of Hilton Worldwide’s Travel with Purpose™ program. Talk about the ultimate active learning experience!
When I was a teacher for a year I remember how much energy and personal resources I invested in my students. The budgets were tight – for example we only got a certain amount of copies in the office but as a music teacher, we had our YEARLY allotment surpassed before Fall Recital was even finished. The rest of the copies for the rest of the year? Came out of our own pockets – and we didn’t complain we were happy to do it. But it certainly left fewer resources for things like travel and world exploration.
The Hilton HHonors Teacher Treks travel grant will fund the winning teachers – ! – on their travels so they can experience the subject they teach on a global scale. One teacher from Texas says she’ll make World Geography come to life for her middle school student with a trip to Africa. Another art teacher hopes to bring art to the next level during a trip to Italy. Teachers who have poured so much of their own resources into their local communities now have a chance to be renergized. But they need your help!
A panel of judges made up of educators with the Institute of International Education (IIE) and K-12 teachers, have sorted the applicants into 30 finalists. From there it’s up to you guys to vote (you get one vote per day!) to select the final 15 winners. 15 finalists will win a trip and the other 15 will receive a $2,500 grant to use towards cultural activities in their school. When you vote, you’ll be entered for one of 10 $250 Hilton HHonors Gift Cards so be sure you !
Individuals can cast one vote per day during the duration of the voting period. For more information on the 30 finalists, voting or for full Terms and Conditions, please visit . Winners will be announced in May 2013. I was compensated for my time to help tell you about this program, but I know first hand how much of their personal resources teachers put back into their classroom and am happy to see them getting something back.
What a fascinating idea the Hilton HHonors teacher Trek Competition is! I have read all of the essays and my favorite by far is Sandra K. I love how she says that as a reading teacher, she has always promoted books as powerful and accessible means for students to travel. She would like to travel to the Indian Ocean islands of Zanzibar, just off the coast of Tanzania, and Mauritius, east of Madagascar “… to observe firsthand how the people on both of these islands – comprised of minorities and the meeting of cultures that have been in conflict in other parts of the world – have found ways to live side-by-side…” I hope she is one of the winners.