South Africa

“Our first safari adventure…”

July 22, 2026   -   5 Comments

Practice makes perfect with binoculars

Day 2: Our first full day in South Africa began bright and early with a delicious breakfast together as a group before setting out on the seven-hour journey from Johannesburg to Kruger National Park. The drive gave us our first opportunity to see the beauty of the South African landscape while getting to know one another even better.


We stopped for lunch along the way, where we shared the haikus we had written and practiced using our binoculars in preparation for our safari. The excitement continued to build as we got back on the road, and before we even reached the park, we were greeted by a troop of baboons along the roadside—a reminder that wildlife is never too far away in South Africa.


Once inside Kruger National Park, the adventure truly began. We were incredibly fortunate to witness one of Africa’s most elusive animals—a leopard, during the golden hour. We watched in amazement as it gracefully walked through the bush, climbed a tree, and settled comfortably on a branch to rest. It was a breathtaking moment that many visitors wait years to experience.

Welcome to Kruger National Park!

Leopard sighting at dusk in Kruger National Park


The wildlife sightings didn’t stop there. We encountered a large group of giraffes stretching their long necks to feed from the treetops, herds of zebras grazing across the landscape, a curious warthog, dozens of impala, a few kudu (a larger  antelope with giant ears), a few nyala (a striped antelope that prefers thicker brush habitat) and steenbok (a smaller, shy antelope), as well as a variety of beautiful birds that added vibrant color and song to the day.


As the sun began to set, we reflected on the unforgettable experiences we had shared before ending the evening with dinner together as a group. Our first safari exceeded every expectation and reminded us why South Africa is home to some of the most incredible wildlife on Earth. We can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings!

South Africa

“First Group Meeting”

July 21, 2026   -   0 Comments

Meet new friends and keep the old, one is silver and the other’s gold. A circle is round that never ends, that’s how long I’ll be your friend.

We have arrived! We have met our new friends, and we are ready to sleep and learn.

South Africa

“Up, up, and away…”

July 20, 2026   -   3 Comments

After a delay due to storms in Raleigh we are on the way to Atlanta, and then a sprint through the airport to catch our flight to Johannesburg… stay tuned!

We’ve brushed up on our common birds of South Africa and are excited to start seeing them once we land!

A group of educators carrying luggage stands as a group in the airport.
The North Carolina contingent of the Educators of Excellence Institute to South Africa

Update: We made the flight to Johannesburg!! South Africa, here we come!

July 21, quick evening update: We made it to South Africa! Our plane touched down at 7:19pm (we are 6 hours ahead of home). Now on to customs, hotel check-in, and our first group meeting with our friends and colleagues from South Africa. We can’t wait!

South Africa

“Sawubona! Hello! But also… I see you.”

July 14, 2026   -   4 Comments

Three people walk along a grassy trail through the rolling hills of South Africa

Sawubona- “I see you”

We greet you today with the traditional Zulu phrase Sawubona. This single word, often mistakenly interpreted as a simple hello, in reality has a meaning that is much more nuanced and which translates more accurately to “I see you, and by seeing you, I bring you into being.” The Zulu translation and the way these phrases are exchanged by community members in South Africa reflect a deeper cultural norm, that to greet and see someone each day acknowledges their value as a person– the sum of their experiences, their strengths and weaknesses, their past and their future, their spirit, their voice. Three common responses:

Yebo, sawubona, —“Yes, I see you too”,

Shiboka —“I exist for you”, or

Ngikhona — “I am here”

… all reflect that by giving each person our full attention and presence we bring them into existence and give them value, worth, and dignity.

In less than a week, an intrepid group of 11 NC educators and three Museum staff will travel to South Africa, where we will be joined by two South African teachers before embarking on a journey together with our South African guides, Andrew and David. We invite you to join us— to join us in seeing each and every person (and animals, rocks or fossils, plants or trees…), and appreciating them for who they are.

In particular, today, we see and acknowledge our educators as they prepare for this journey of mind, body, and spirit. They have survived another school year, impacted countless student lives by challenging them to learn and be the good they hope to see in the world, and they are getting ready to selflessly leave their comfort zones to travel far from home so that they can learn, and bring back and share with their students and communities when they return.

Here are some of the ways we’ve been getting ready:

Wendy has been treating her clothes with Permethrin to ward off ticks and mosquitoes that we might encounter while exploring.

A row of clothes hanging out to dry after being sprayed with insecticides.

“Before anything else, preparation is the key to success.” — Alexander Graham Bell

As Katie gets ready for her trip to South Africa, she’s also preparing for the start of a new school year. She’ll be missing the first four days with her new 8th graders, so she’s getting lesson plans ready and setting up her classroom before she leaves. Her bulletin board will feature some of the animals we’ll see and a map of her journey—something she looks forward to sharing with her students when she returns!

A bulletin board for an 8th grade class featuring African animals and a map of their teacher's journey.

Mrs. Katie Clemmons’ bulletin board is ready and waiting for her new students to arrive.

Yellowstone in Winter

“When One Adventure Ends, Another Begins”

January 17, 2023   -   1 Comment

Although we flew home today, we squeezed in one more adventure. With the help of Ranger Mike, we toured around Mammoth Hot Springs. We followed the snowy boardwalks as the sun rose over Mt. Everts to see the travertine terraces. Steam from the ever-changing geothermal features surrounded us as we listened to Ranger Mike use analogy and humor to educate the group. We compared the Upper Geyser Basin where Old Faithful is located to the Mammoth Hot Springs where we now stood. Ranger Mike explained the travertine terraces build up quickly but non-violently while the geyserite deposits of the Upper Geyser Basin build up slowly but can be violent.

After braving our coldest morning (2 degrees Fahrenheit) yet we packed up our luggage to head home to North Carolina. As we drove from the North Yellowstone Lodge in Gardiner, MT to the Bozeman Airport we continued to use our newly developed wildlife spotting skills. The group finally saw the eighth ungulate, the elusive white-tailed deer. Golden eagles, bald eagles, magpies, elk, ravens and a possible carcass party were spotted along our drive.

 

We arrived at the Bozeman Airport and had come to terms with our grand Yellowstone adventure ending. The once group of strangers knew our newly developed friendships and passion for education would continue to grow. The ideas of bringing Yellowstone to our own classrooms flew out of our mouths as we chatted about the past week.

 

Through this experience both our eyes and hearts were opened to the importance of conservation of the greater Yellowstone ecosystem. Our first national park, now 150 years old, is the home of various extraordinary species that need to be protected, studied and learned from. Through the continued preservation of this special place, future generations will have the opportunity to experience all the magical wonders Yellowstone for themselves.

 

Yellowstone in Winter

“Tired Bodies, Full Hearts”

January 17, 2023   -   1 Comment

We awoke this morning with high hopes of a wolf sighting (or at least a howl or two). We set out and met Kira Cassidy who is a wolf biologist with the Yellowstone Wolf Project. She was our guide and led us all around the park as she tracked wolves that had been fitted with radio collars. We bounced from spot to spot trying to get just the right angle where we could catch a glimpse.  All the while, Kira gave us insights into all of the knowledge she has gained on the wolves of Yellowstone over her 11 years in this position. While we were bouncing from spot to spot, we even ran into the author of the famed book, wolf “American Wolf,” Rick McIntyre.

Kira and Rick

Kira Cassidy and Rick McIntyre

Unfortunately, we struck out on seeing or hearing a wolf, but we hit the jackpot on a wealth of knowledge about the wolf population in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. The entire group was grateful that Kira was able to share her time and passion about this topic with us.

Next stop was a quick check in with the only aquatic songbird in North America, the American Dipper! Cathy gave us the lowdown on this amazing creature. Including the fact that they nest in rock walls near water, which we saw shortly after on our snowshoe hike.

nest made of moss tucked in a hole on a rock wall

American dipper nest

Speaking of the snowshoe hike, that was AWESOME! We started snowshoeing down a nondescript path along Pebble Creek for a short distance only to make a turn and see this!!!

narrow canyon with snow

Snowshoe hike

It was a truly awe-inspiring experience.

While we were on the hike, Amanda stayed behind and saw two bull moose!

moose in trees

We ended our day with hundreds of bison crossing the road in front of us in the dark, many of them running as if in a stampede. It gave us just a glimpse of what it must have been like when over ten million bison roamed this country. We turned in with tired bodies and full hearts.

Yellowstone in Winter

“For the Birds”

January 15, 2023   -   4 Comments

We got to sleep in! We were able to sleep in until 7:00 am, so we could be on the road by 8:00 am. Our day started with a trip through the park, where we saw a herd of bighorn sheep. Then it was off to the house of Dan & Cindy Hartman in Silver Gate, located just outside the park. We were immediately greeted by a plethora of birds that included the Canada jay and the vibrantly blue colored Steller’s jay.

bird with black head, white eyebrow, and blue body and wings

Once inside, Dan regaled the group with tales of his time filming the wildlife, discussing the importance of conservation while showing one of his films. This visit was a highlight for the group because of Dan’s passion and dedication to his craft. It was intoxicating and contagious. The group left with a renewed sense of life and how everything in nature is interconnected, including human beings.

selfie of 3 people

After leaving the Hartman’s we were very fortunate that one of our members excitedly started yelling “Bird! Bird!” when Dustin (impressively) spotted a ruffed grouse from the very back seat in the trees along the road. We excitedly turned the cars around on the icy road to get up close & personal with the bird (from the car), who didn’t seem to notice our presence. After getting our fill of photographs, we were on our way. We hadn’t gone very far when we saw a massive bull elk using its front legs to “snowplow” for the rich grasses below the fresh snowfall. We watched him in awe and then loaded the vehicles to head out of park & back to the lodge. It was an amazing day for all!

 

Yellowstone in Winter

“From Bacteria to Bobcat”

January 15, 2023   -   3 Comments

We started today by coming together to watch Old Faithful erupt. It teased us for 45 minutes with small belches of water and steam before finally putting on a show. This was followed by a tour of the Upper Basin by Ranger Colin, whose passion for the world’s greatest concentration of geysers got us excited for our upcoming day of observing geothermal features. We had just missed Colin’s favorite, Beehive Geyser, due to Old Faithful’s antics holding us up.

At our next stop, we split up to choose our own adventure. Some went on a short but snowy hike to Black Sand Pool, laying down to feel the thumping from below. The others took to the boardwalks around Black Sand Basin, braving boardwalks covered in packed snow and slippery conditions, only to have to pause for two bison who decided to walk across the warm ground after wading through the cold river winding through the geysers and springs. Remember to stay AT LEAST 25 yards from a bison! They finally disappeared into the mist, and we continued our explorations.

people laying on the ground near a hot spring

Midway Geyser Basin started with the Excelsior Geyser Crater and Grand Prismatic Spring. The combination of snow, warm steam, and ice make the boardwalks here very slippery, but we persevered. We saw the thermophilic bacterial mats, the silica deposits in the flowing waters, and ephydrid flies! We witnessed larva and adult flies, all happily eating the bacterial mats. They stay active in winter because the waters coming from the springs keep their environment warm enough for them to live.

ephydrid fly

The next stop was Fountain Paint Pots. It was like a scene from another planet: smaller geysers erupting, steam rising from fumaroles, acidic mud bubbling, and colors from both mineral deposits and bacterial mats. Dustin gave us a lesson on Thermus aquaticus, one of the many bacteria making up the colorful mats where the warm waters from thermal features flow over the land.

Hitting the road again in the snowcoach, our driver John had to deal with bison in the roadway. He handled it like a professional, patiently waiting for the herd to decide to move out of the way. This was just out first encounter with road-bison today!

We stopped to see Firehole Falls, where the Firehole River splits the difference between two ancient lava flows, tumbling down exposed rhyolites. While exploring the stop and enjoying the view, we found a nice snowbank that made for a perfect slide.

Further down the Firehole Canyon we came upon a rare sight: a bobcat was feeding on a mule deer carcass on the other side of the river! The bobcat had been feeding on this carcass for days. No one knew how the deer died, but word had spread, and there were many snowcoaches pausing here to take photos. And the bobcat could not have cared less.

bobcat

Next, we had a brief stop at Gibbon Falls, enjoying once again the power of flowing water to reshape the land. From there we drove home, but on the way we had an opportunity to experience stillness and silence. Stopping in the middle of Swan Lake Flats, we all stepped out of the snowcoach, John turned off the lights and engine, and we enjoyed a few minutes just absorbing the night-time scene.

Yellowstone in Winter

“Sights, Sounds, and Steam by Snowcoach”

January 14, 2023   -   3 Comments

Day two did not disappoint! We began our early morning with a fine breakfast and got off to a fast start. We arrived in Mammoth Hot Springs at 0715 and loaded into the snowcoach. We then took a very scenic ride on closed (but groomed) Yellowstone National Park roads.

a snowcoach - large yellow van with giant tires

Our first stop was at Roaring Mountain. We all stood very still and used our “deer ears” to hear the mountain speaking to us. Venturing further into the heart of Yellowstone we visited Nymph Lake and observed common goldeneye and ring-necked ducks as well as trumpeter swans. Further in our travels we visited the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, where we observed frozen waterfalls and tens of feet of ice buildup at the base of the falls. The largest, at 308 feet tall, was the Lower Falls, where Thomas Moran and William Henry Jackson once painted and photographed the magnificent scenery. Their art helped convince Congress to preserve Yellowstone as our first national park.

lake surrounded by snow and pine tree covered hills

Nymph Lake

happy looking people in front of a waterfall

Group photo at the Lower Falls of the Yellowstone

Next, we traveled to the Mud Volcano and Dragons Mouth Spring. Here we used our senses to appreciate our surroundings, including the feel of warm steam, the smell of sulfur, and the deep bass sound and feel of steam explosions. The steam explosions of Dragons Mouth sounded like waves crashing into rocks, and Mud Volcano sounded like bubbling grits. Lakeshore Geyser, Black Pool, and Abyss Pool – three of the thermal features in West Thumb Geyser Basin – were amazing to witness. As we traveled on toward Old Faithful, we were able to lay eyes on the Grand Tetons from approximately 30 miles away. This evening, we’re enjoying our stay in the grandeur of the Old Faithful Snow Lodge!

Andy takes the temperature of Abyss Spring at West Thumb Geyser Basin

Yellowstone in Winter

“Ermines and Everything, the Best Day Ever!”

January 12, 2023   -   8 Comments

Up before daylight and heading to Yellowstone after a long day of travel, we were all a little bleary-eyed, but soon we sprang to life!!! The first bison of the day was sighted shortly after Roosevelt’s welcome to the park (the famed arch at Yellowstone’s north entrance). The herd was closer and larger than we could have imagined, we could even hear them chewing (safely, from the car)! This was a great start to accomplishing our goal of an octo-ungulate day. As we continued our journey, we were able to rack up six more hooved-mammals (elk, mule deer, bighorn sheep, pronghorn, Rocky Mountain goat, and moose) leaving us missing the ever-elusive white-tailed deer.

bison in road

While viewing the moose, much to our surprise and delight, a subnivean creature popped into view. Mayhem ensued as we scrambled to see the even more elusive ermine. It was hopping over and traversing through the snow drifts at lightning speed, finally crossing the road in front of us. Excitement continued as we tried to capture the perfect picture to share. This was a favorite of the 19 species we spotted today for many people in the group.

white winter weasel with black tail tip in snow

We wrapped up our day with a snowshoe hike to a lovely view of the Yellowstone River. This was a challenging first for many of us in the group and we are proud to say, we all made it to the top and back down. We can’t wait to see what tomorrow holds for us.

Dustin, Julie, and Tonya