Amber Armstrong
About me:
I am a lifelong learner and educator with a passion for nurturing young minds, with a dedicated career spanning 26 years in elementary education. My undergraduate degree in Elementary Education is from Whitworth University and my Masters of Education: Creative Arts and Learning is from Lesley University. Currently, I serve as a Lower Montessori lead teacher for 1st-3rd grade students within the Boise School District for the past nine years. I am committed to helping students begin to see and understand the interconnectedness of all living things and their place in the world.
About my Project:
My project aims to foster global awareness within the traditional and Montessori curriculum by delving into the cultural and environmental richness of Mozambique. This includes developing a comprehensive understanding of Mozambique’s culture, history, people, and biodiversity. Sustainability education is a key focus, drawing inspiration from Gorongosa National Park’s successful model of rebuilding with community involvement. Additionally, the curriculum will be enriched by incorporating insights from the study of Mozambique, highlighting the interconnectedness of human history, culture, and environmental sustainability. Biodiversity exploration will center on understanding the impact of various factors, such as conflict and war, on ecosystems and the interconnectedness of all living things in Africa. By delving into the cultural, environmental, and sustainability aspects of Mozambique, this project seeks to inspire global awareness, ethical cooperation, and a sense of responsibility in students and educators alike.
Iryna Babik
About me:
I am an Assistant Professor at Boise State University in the Department of Psychological Science. I began my tenure career at Boise State in 2019, after earning the Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology (University of North Carolina at Greensboro) and completing a post-doctoral training at the University of Delaware. I teach Cross-Cultural Psychology, Research Methods, and Advanced Statistics. My research focuses on cross-cultural differences in parental beliefs and practices, sensorimotor and cognitive development during infancy and early childhood, as well as early intervention and rehabilitation of sensorimotor and cognitive skills. My experience in solo travel, teaching and advising a diverse range of students, and conducting cross-cultural research has made her a strong advocate for equity, diversity, and inclusion.
About my Project:
My project aims to explore cultural sustainability in Mozambique by focusing on the ways cultural traditions evolve amid current modernization and globalization. Through interviews with locals, I will examine the impact of cultural values on parental beliefs and practices, especially regarding the importance of education in sustainability efforts. Since sustainability practices in Africa are predominantly community-centered, employing a bottom-up, grassroots approach, the involvement of local communities in decision-making processes related to resource management, conservation efforts, and economic development is contingent upon the education level and knowledge of the local populations. Therefore, a focus on sustainability in Africa, requires investigating the parental beliefs and practices of Mozambicans concerning their children’s education. The findings from this research will contribute to a new curriculum module for the Cross-Cultural Psychology course, thereby deepening students’ understanding of African culture and psychological nuances.
Jaraka Ball
About me:
I was born and raised in Paul, Idaho and moved to Boise in 2014. I graduated as a Top Ten Scholar from Boise State University in 2019 with a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education TESOL/ENL. I have had the honor and privilege of teaching multilingual students for the past five years. I moved to Shanghai, China in 2019 to teach English for one year. I am grateful to have experienced a different culture and many incredible places while living abroad. In 2020, I started my teaching career in the Boise School District. I have taught English to Speakers of Other Languages at Hillside and North Junior High. Currently, I am teaching 6th grade in the Dual Language Immersion Program at Whittier Elementary. When I’m not teaching, I enjoy playing with my two nieces, planning tailored Disney vacations for families and spending time outdoors. I am grateful for the opportunity to participate in the Fulbright-Hays Groups Projects Abroad Mozambique. I am excited to strengthen my understanding in sustainability, life sciences, cultural awareness and language acquisition, as well as develop a project to support student growth and learning.
About my Project:
The project I will be working on in Mozambique is entitled: Biodiversity Exploration in Gorongosa National Park. The project will support Boise School District standards for Sixth Grade Life Science, as well as integrate sustainability, cross-cultural understanding and innovative methodologies for language acquisition into my classroom. Students will learn about organisms and their environment through the topic of biodiversity and how it contributes to the sustainability of an ecosystem. Utilizing authentic and innovative resources inspired by Gorongosa National Park, students will have opportunities to stimulate discussion and develop understanding about the importance of maintaining its biodiversity. Students will research various real-life problems facing Gorongosa’s ecosystem, develop and present solutions including its pros and cons, and design a final presentation to share with the class. In addition, students will strengthen their English and Spanish language acquisition by practicing skills related to reading, writing, speaking and listening.The goal of this project is to make learning more accessible, purposeful and engaging for all students.
James Beauchemin
About me:
I am an Associate Professor of Social Work at Boise State University. I received the Ph.D. from The Ohio State University and MSW from the University of Vermont. My primary research interests include wellness promotion, integrated mind-body-spirit interventions, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, and the mental health of college students. My scholarly pursuits have led me to national-level opportunities such as serving as a Subject Matter Expert for the American Council on Exercise, and providing wellness-focused training for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
About my Project:
My project in Mozambique will facilitate developing and integrating curriculum specific to international social work with a particular emphasis on sustainable systems approaches. The curriculum modules will be piloted in existing courses, with the eventual goal of developing a semester-long course entitled International social work: A global systems perspective. Course content will be informed by hands-on experiences as a GPA participant, as well as through the collection of in-depth personal accounts through qualitative reports of lived experiences of Mozambican providers and community members related to existing systems and impacts on human development.
Rylee DeVito
Bio:
I am an 8th/9th grade teacher at Riverglen Jr. High School and a Science Instructional Coach for the Idaho State Department of Education. I teach both Earth Science and Physical Science, but I have a secret love for Astronomy. In addition to my passion for teaching, I enjoy traveling, trivia, and Dungeons & Dragons.
Project Description:
The project will focus on how past geologic events (volcanic eruptions, plate tectonics, etc.) influence historical and modern events, such as colonization, decolonization, sustainability efforts, and the development of geopolitical landscapes in Mozambique.
Marybeth Erickson
About me:
I am a first-grade teacher at Pioneer School of the Arts in the West Ada School District. I hold degrees in journalism and education from Wisconsin universities. For three years, I worked as a third-grade teacher in Wisconsin where I gained experience in cultural responsiveness and inclusion practices. While in this role, I also developed and taught a summer school journalism course for upper elementary students. As a first-grade teacher at Pioneer, I integrate art, music, STEM, and sustainability topics into the classroom through cross-curricular activities and projects. In my free time I enjoy exploring the outdoors as much as possible. I look forward to working with other globally minded Idaho educators who have a passion for sustainability!
About my Project:
My project will focus on developing engaging and ready-to-use global studies and sustainability resources for Idaho K-5 teachers. These resources will provide educators with meaningful science and social studies lesson enhancements to effectively implement state standards. The global studies resources will be based on materials gathered while traveling through Mozambique. Additionally, the sustainability resources will be based on time spent in Gorongosa National Park, one of the most biodiverse places on Earth. These globally minded, sustainability-focused materials will not only provide integral resources for K-5 teachers in Idaho, but they will also help prepare students to be empathetic global citizens and address the demands of the future.
Calista Houdek
About me:
I teach history and social studies at Richard McKenna Charter High in Mountain Home, Idaho. I am also the only history teacher at my school, responsible for educating rural students in my community about American and world studies. I am a Boise State University alumni and earned my bachelor’s degree in history. I am also a public history graduate student, writing a fashion look-book on the oldest women’s federated club in Idaho, the Boise Columbian Club. Drawing upon my fashion and women’s history expertise, I plan to present this narrative through a fashion look-book, utilizing photographs of fashion pieces worn by club members engaged in civic activities. When not teaching or doing research, I enjoy sewing projects and dragging my family to local cemeteries and ghost towns.
About my Project:
For my project, I propose a high school history course on the history of Mozambique with a theme centered on sustainability. Classes at RMCH are scheduled for three hours each day for six weeks. With this schedule, I plan to develop a six-week course for my 2024-2025 school year project. The History of Mozambique class will offer students an early history of colonization and exploration while also allowing particular perspectives, such as voices from Gorongosa National Park, to tell the history of Mozambique’s fight for independence from Portuguese colonization. The first week of the course will center on early Mozambican history with an introduction to Portugal’s colonization and the emergence of explorer Vasco de Gama. Here, I also hope to include some beginner instruction in the Portuguese language. The second week of the curriculum will focus on the history of Mozambique’s independence from Portuguese colonization, the country’s liberation in 1975, and the fifteen-year civil war. The following weeks’ main content will center on Gorongosa National Park and its history in conservation. For disseminating my project, I would like my students to share their learning at a community-based level, whether creating a pop-up exhibit at our local library or our historical museum. I wish to connect Mozambique’s history to Gorongosa National Park’s history, telling the story of the park’s conservation efforts and what younger generations can do to help better the future.
Nichole Lasich
About me:
I joined the Boise State School of Public and Population Health in 2014 after completing my undergraduate work at Oregon Health Science University in Nursing and Masters at Oregon State University in Public Health. I am currently teaching full-time and working towards my Doctorate of Education in Curriculum and Instruction. In 2016, I served as a visiting professor for Boise State with the University Studies Abroad Consortium (USAC) in San Ramon, Costa Rica. I taught Global Women’s Health and Global Environmental Health. I now serve as the Health Sector Advisor for students in the Peace Corps Prep program at Boise State and volunteer as a registered nurse at a community clinic in Boise. I enjoy spending time with family, mountain biking, bikepacking, and wilderness whitewater expeditions.
About my Project:
In Mozambique, while participating in language courses and learning about globalization, social determinants of health, culture, sustainability, Gorongosa National Park, access to healthcare, and complex global health challenges in Africa, I will add to the curriculum of my courses Introduction to Global Health. With a focus on sustainability, I will explore implementing strategies to help students address complex global health challenges that consider our present needs without impacting future generations. I hope to return to Boise with innovative, relevant, and non-traditional stories to implement into the global health curriculum in the School of Public and Population Health.
Paige Norman
About me:
I am a 6th grade teacher at Future Public School in Garden City, Idaho. I have been teaching in Idaho for 5 years with experience in 5th-8th grade. I received a bachelor’s in Geography from George Washington University and I am currently working towards a Graduate Certificate in Mathematics Instruction, Learning and Leadership at Boise State University. I have been committed to learning as an educator by participating in the Boise Writing Project, Regional Math Center’s Teacher Leader Program, and the Idaho Coaching Network. I am honored to continue my professional development with the Fulbright Hays Group Project Abroad program.
About my Project:
I plan to develop a curricular project for students that would investigate the theme “Story, Human, Home” through a geographical lens that will center on Mozambique (and particularly Gorongosa National Park) as a case study for conservation and a deep study into human-environment interaction. Through this project, I plan to investigate the use of Geographic Information Systems in Mozambique and in turn, use this technology to teach students via Esri StoryMaps and OpenStreetMap. Comparisons between Mozambique and Idaho will be used to build student understanding and empathy around issues such as human-wildlife interaction, rural versus urban development and the threat to sustainability, as well as community efforts to re-wild spaces.
Krishna Pakala
Brief bio:
I am an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering at Boise State University. I served as the Faculty in Residence for the Engineering and Innovation Living Learning Community from 2014 to 2021. I was the inaugural Faculty Associate for Mobile Learning and the Faculty Associate for Accessibility and Universal Design for Learning. I was honored to receive the Foundation Excellence Award, David S. Taylor Service to Students Award and Golden Apple Award from Boise State University and the 2023 American Society for Engineering Education’s (ASEE) National Outstanding Teacher Award, ASEE Pacific Northwest (PNW) Outstanding Teaching Award, ASEE Mechanical Engineering division’s Outstanding New Educator Award and several course design awards. My research interests include innovative teaching and learning strategies, use of emerging technologies, and mobile teaching and learning strategies.
About my Project:
My project aims to create synergies between the role of mechanical engineering and sustainability, informed by cross-cultural differences in the U.S.-Mozambique and within Mozambique. My project seeks to emphasize renewable energy solutions, especially in underserved regions. I hope to incorporate these observations into the curriculum of my courses where thermal-fluid sciences blend with topics of Mozambican culture.
Mari Rice
About me:
I have worked at Boise State for the past eleven years and currently serve as a Clinical Assistant professor for the Environmental Studies Program and as the Experiential and Career Learning faculty for the School of Public Service. I am also the program internship coordinator and coordinate the Environmental Education certificate program. I have worked in the field of education for nearly 25 years in a range of settings including outdoor/environmental education, K-12/college teaching, and TRIO programs. I have lived across the U.S. and abroad and enjoy traveling and exploring new places. In my free time I love to recreate with my family in the mountains, rivers, and foothills surrounding Boise and garden in my backyard.
About my Project:
In Mozambique, I’ll be working on a curricular project that will feature conservation and sustainability projects across the African Continent. Students from my 300-level, hands-on field course will be researching and creating ARCGIS Story Maps of conservation projects across Africa. We will compare and contrast these projects with the restoration projects we are engaged in locally. We will also create an open-access google map of the Story Maps and plan to host an exhibit of our work for the community in the Luminary Gallery.
Lisa Tabereaux
About me:
I am a sixth grade teacher in the Idaho Falls School District 91. I have vast experiences teaching, including a range of elementary grades, as a general education teacher and also as an elementary school science teacher for grades 1-5. I graduated from Indiana University with a Bachelor of Science degree in education, an endorsement in reading instruction, and a minor in music and linguistics. I currently serve as a sixth grade science and math teacher at Sunnyside Elementary. Recently, I have developed a passion for teaching science. Whenever I have the opportunity, I like to take any science classes as continuing education opportunity. When I am not teaching, I enjoy traveling, camping, listening to music by the fire, exercising, playing games and spending time with my family.
About my Project:
My project will begin with students studying Mozambique’s history and challenges that have faced the country in its recent past including economically and environmentally. Students will also learn about the successful and inspiring restoration programs taking place in the Gorongosa National Park and surrounding Greater Gorongosa. We will then transition into studying existing threats to the climate, natural resources, and economy in Idaho, as the population of the state grows and more people recreate outdoors. Students will also learn about existing sustainability programs in the state that focus on responsible usage of natural resources while growing the economy. They will then develop their own new ideas for sustainability. Finally, students will choose a topic of study and build a research project. Focus topics for their projects may include sustainable agricultural programs, responsible forest conservation involving recreation and tourism, clean and responsible energy usage, animal conservation and protection of endangered species, etc. All of the topics for student research projects will involve local issues of sustainability and conservation.