In mid‑November, seven eighth‑grade students from Patterson Park Public Charter School will embark on a two‑week Antarctic expedition, accompanied by their teacher Sabina Sully and documentary filmmaker John Wesby. The trip, supported by National Geographic Lindblad Expeditions and local sponsors, aims to give Baltimore youth a hands‑on view of polar science and global stewardship.
Educational goals and preparation
Ms. Sully, a former Grosvenor Teacher Fellow, says her primary hope is for the students to return as confident explorers who can communicate big ideas with passion. “I want them to see themselves as scientists and leaders,” she explained. To qualify, each student completed an essay, secured a teacher recommendation, and passed a panel interview. An eighth student will stay behind as the team’s science communicator, producing daily videos for the school and broader community.
Science and technology on the ice
While in Antarctica, the students will document their journey with vlogging cameras and 360‑degree rigs that will later be turned into a virtual‑reality experience in partnership with Towson University’s electronic media and film department. They will also use a Forward‑Looking Infrared (FLIR) camera to capture thermal images of icebergs, contributing data to Joe Muise’s citizen‑science project “Thermal Imaging of Polar Ice,” which tracks temperature changes across polar environments.
Community outreach and local connections
Before departure, the students have been active in Baltimore, scrubbing oysters, reading to elementary‑school children about Antarctica, and learning about keystone species such as Antarctic krill and local oyster beds through a partnership with the National Aquarium. Their work underscores how even the smallest organisms support entire ecosystems, a lesson they hope to share citywide.
Representation matters to the group. Many students expressed pride in showing Baltimore youth that peers who look like them can achieve extraordinary feats. “Seeing someone from our neighborhood on the ice is a big deal,” one student said.
Logistics and itinerary
The expedition will board the National Geographic Explorer ship on November 15, joining roughly 109 other travelers. After a night in Buenos Aires for a food tour, the party will stop in Ushuaia, Argentina, before crossing the Drake Passage to the Antarctic Peninsula. The students expect to spend four to five days exploring various sites, then return via King George Island and Port Natali.
Documentary and lasting impact
Filmmaker John Wesby, who has long collaborated with Ms. Sully on international trips, will capture the preparation and journey for a documentary titled “From Baltimore to the Bottom of the World.” Wesby believes the experience will plant seeds that grow for years, expanding the students’ perspectives and fostering a more well‑rounded generation.
Upon their return, the VR footage and daily videos will be shared with the school community and the wider Baltimore public, offering a rare glimpse of the frozen continent from a local viewpoint.
Original reporting: Baltimore Fishbowl — read the source article.
