The Explorers Club Monday Night Lecture

Last month, I stood at a podium that has hosted some of the most legendary voices in exploration from Jane Goodall, Sylvia Earle, to the Apollo 11 crew. To say I was honored would be an understatement. I was there to speak at The Explorers Club headquarters in New York City for an event celebrating something truly groundbreaking, the return of the inaugural Teacher Fellows Program from the Amazon's Boiling River. The fall lecture series kicked off with a night of stories from the 2025 Boiling River Expedition and what made this expedition different was who was on it. Four K-12 teachers, including myself, joined as full expedition members to one of the most extreme ecosystems on Earth. We're talking about a river that's up to 100 feet wide, 15 feet deep, flows for over four miles, and reaches temperatures over 200°F.

This wasn't just about teachers observing exploration. It was about teachers doing exploration, actively participating in research and conservation work. The Explorers Club created this program to bring together teachers and explorers like never before, and to set new standards for how exploration is done.

The event at The Explorers Club headquarters brought together explorers, educators, scientists, and supporters to hear about our experiences in the field. We celebrated the successful return of TEC Flag 114 and the Rolex Expedition Watch Explorer II, but more importantly, we shared how this expedition is already transforming our classrooms. 

I had the chance to speak about how I brought the Boiling River back to my 4th graders in Middleton, Massachusetts, through immersive VR experiences that let them stand on the same rocks I stood on and experience the Boiling River in 360°. This was then the catalyst to spark local action. The audience Q&A afterward sparked wonderful conversations about the future of exploration and education.

What struck me most about the evening was the shared belief in the room that when you connect teachers with exploration, you multiply the impact exponentially. It's not just one person on one expedition, it's entire classrooms, schools, and communities that benefit.

This inaugural program proved that teachers belong in the field as full expedition members, and that the work of exploration doesn't end when you leave. It continues in classrooms where the next generation of explorers and environmental champions are being inspired.

I'm honored to have been part of this first cohort and to help usher in what I believe will become a flagship program at The Explorers Club. Here's to many more teachers getting expedition-tested and bringing those experiences back to transform how students see themselves and their planet.

Head to 36:52 to hear my part of the lecture