Calgary teacher selected for prestigious fellowship

Once again, the National Geographic Society has turned the international spotlight onto one of Alberta’s public school teachers. Calgary teacher Court Rustemeyer has been selected to take part in the Society’s coveted Grosvenor Teacher Fellowship, a program that offers teachers a unique field-based experience. 

In December of this year, Rustemeyer, with the help of the National Geographic Society, will head to Antarctica to explore the region and its effect on the planet’s global ecosystems. 

“I was completely blown away — it honestly felt like a dream,” said Rustemeyer. “But what excites me most is the chance to bring that inspiration back to my students.”

Rustemeyer is a teacher at Vincent Massey School with the Calgary Public School Division. For almost two decades, he has been an inspiration for educators and students alike, connecting with nature through exploration and adventure. Rustemeyer serves as president of the Global, Environmental and Outdoor Education Council, a specialist council of the Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA), and as director of the Prairies for the Outdoor Council of Canada. He has also provided workshops and sessions for the ATA, the Outdoor Learning Conference and Physical and Health Education (PHE) Canada. 

As part of the fellowship, Rustemeyer must develop several educational resources, such as outreach and classroom action plans, surveys, as well as outreach presentations and documentation. These added resources will help educators from across the continent incorporate Rustemeyer’s field-based experiences into their classrooms.

The Grosvenor Teacher Fellowship is a professional development opportunity for K–12 educators that is made possible through a collaboration between Lindblad Expeditions and the National Geographic Society. Grosvenor teacher fellows transfer their experience into new ways to teach students, engage colleagues and bring new geographic awareness into their learning environments and communities.

“This fellowship isn’t just about me,” said Rustemeyer. “It’s about sparking curiosity and reminding young people that learning and adventure can change the way we see the world.”

Of the 35 recipients of this year’s fellowships, only three were from Canada.