Tracy Crowley, sixth grade science teacher at London, has been named a 2025 Fund for Teachers Fellow, earning a $5,000 grant to embark on a self-designed professional learning experience abroad.
While most students and staff will spend their summer break in and around the Chicago area, one teacher at London Middle School will trade her classroom for the landscapes of Africa.
Tracy Crowley, a sixth grade science teacher, has been named a 2025 Fund for Teachers Fellow, earning a $5,000 grant to embark on a self-designed professional learning experience abroad.
One of the nation’s leading organizations that supports preK-12 educators, Fund for Teachers provides educators with the freedom to determine what and where they need to learn to ultimately enhance the academic and emotional growth of students. The organization so far has recognized 10,000 educators who have leveraged $36 million into missions that pursue experiential learning in the U.S. and across the globe.
“[This fellowship] is very open to whatever educators think they need, and they design the experience from there: location, conferences, experiences, organizations they’d like to work with, etc.,” Crowley said.
She was inspired to apply for the fellowship by a colleague from her National Geographic fellowship, along with many of her staff members at London: “Our school has such a culture of improvement, so I wanted to jump in and see what could happen.”
The fellowship will see Crowley travel during the summer months to Botswana, Zimbabwe and Zambia in sub-Saharan Africa. From there, she will explore Botswana’s Okavango Delta and Zimbabwe’s Painted Dog Conservation, as well as the interconnectedness of human and natural systems.
“Personally, I’m so excited to explore the wilderness of Sub-Saharan Africa, along with being immersed in new cultures and nature,” Crowley said. “This kind of travel is always life-changing, personally and professionally.”
These projects will emphasize the impact of humans’ relationships to wildlife ecosystems, and in turn inspire students to see themselves as part of a larger story of conservation and global stewardship. The knowledge and resources Crowley brings back will also be shared with her sixth grade colleagues at Cooper, Holmes and London.
“Beyond the science I’ll bring back through photos, stories and videos, I hope our sixth graders see the value of following their dreams—even when they don’t feel completely ready,” Crowley said. “I want to model what it means to take meaningful risks, stay curious, and be a lifelong learner. More than anything, I want them to believe that anything is possible when they believe in themselves.”
Crowley also encourages her fellow peers (who spend at least half of their time working with students) to apply for the fellowship: “there are so many amazing grants out there for educators, and you never know what’s possible!”
EMPOWERING EVERY STUDENT, EVERY DAY
