Gronemeyer Receives International Fellowship

John Carroll Catholic High School Educator Receives International Fellowship

Local educator selected for teaching fellowship focused on wildlife ecology in Yellowstone.

Out of more than a hundred applications from talented educators, Kelly Gronemeyer of John Carroll Catholic High School has been selected by the nonprofit organization Ecology Project International (EPI) to participate in an 8-day Teacher Fellowship in and around Yellowstone National Park this March. EPI is a field science and conservation organization that partners scientists, students, and educators in ecological hotspots, including in Costa Rica, the Galapagos Islands, Belize, Mexico, and the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.

Since 2005, EPI has reached more than 3,000 students and teachers with its Yellowstone Wildlife Ecology and youth leadership programs. “My bucket was filled back up to be passionate about conservation and scientific research,” said Laurie McClure, a 2023 Teacher Fellow. “[The program] reminded me of the reason I got into education and hopefully will sustain me for future years.” During the upcoming EPI Teacher Fellowship, Gronemeyer and a small group of carefully selected teachers will experience the field course for themselves, gaining skills and resources they can bring back to the classroom.

On this year’s 12th annual EPI Teacher Fellowship, the group will be immersed in the forests and meadows of Yellowstone’s wildlife-rich Northern Range. Days will be spent assisting Yellowstone scientists with ungulate monitoring and data collection as part of the park’s Home on the Range project. Throughout the program, the group will learn strategies they can bring back to their classrooms to help students observe, question, collect data, and critically analyze the world around them.

This EPI Teacher Fellowship takes place March 16 - 23, 2024. For more information on EPI’s programs or how teachers can apply for next year’s EPI Teacher Fellowships, visit their website at https://www.ecologyproject.org/teacher-fellowships.

About EPI Established as a nonprofit organization in 2001, EPI's mission is to inspire youth with nature and empower them with science, fostering tomorrow's leaders. EPI envisions a diverse movement building communities that cherish and restore the ecosystems that sustain them.