Episode 2: Ep. 1: Inside the Inspiration Fund Trip to Australia for Julie Clawson

11/06/23 • 36 min

Julie Clawson, a 4th grade teacher in her 9th year at Sycamore, is one of two teachers who were recipients of the inaugural Borgmann Inspiration Fund, named for longtime Head of School Diane Borgmann. Julie's adventure took her to Australia, with stops in Brisbane, Queensland, Great Barrier Reef, and the Gold Coast. Visiting Australia--especially holding a koala bear--had been a lifelong dream of Julie's. She saw the Sydney Botanical Gardens, took a ferry to Manly, and made it to the Sydney Opera House, one of her favorites
"Walking up to the Sydney Opera House was an incredibly emotional moment for me. After seeing pictures of it many times, I couldn’t believe I was actually seeing it in person. I sat on the steps and called my mom" she said.
We talk with Julie about her journey, what she saw and experienced, what resonated most, and how the trip helped her understand why she's a teacher.
Website: sycamoreschool.org
email: [email protected]

Previous Episode

Episode 1: Trailer - Sycamore School: The Podcast

It's a simple name. Sycamore School: The Podcast. And a simple theme - share the stories of the teachers, the students, and the ideas behind a school for Preschool - 8th Grade gifted students. Where it goes and what stories are revealed are many times a mystery until they show up: the magical combination of intelligence, passion, and effort, via a curriculum that was built to fuel these moments.

We hope you will be surprised and delighted by the stories we share.
It’s a simple plan. A podcast that looks for good things to share about students who have ideas and the desire to make a difference in their world - and in ours.

Email us at [email protected].

Find the Sycamore website www.sycamoreschool.org to learn more about the school.

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Come along for the ride. We are consistently surprised by the cool things that happen at our school in Indianapolis, one that was an idea begun around a kitchen table, leading to Sycamore opening 1985.

Next Episode

Episode 3: Ep. 2: Inside the Inspiration Fund Teacher Trip to Galapagos Islands with Jennifer Hendry

An inaugural recipient of the Borgmann Inspiration Fund award at Sycamore, 4th grade teacher Jennifer Hendry traveled to the Galapagos Islands in the summer of 2023

Hendry’s project was titled “Community, Culture, and Conservation in the Galapagos Islands” and included visits to four of the 13 islands in the Galapagos, with opportunities to explore the local culture, wildlife, and conservation efforts.
"When my students leave my classroom at the end of the year, I want them to view themselves as members of a global community,” says Hendry, who has taught for 11 years at Sycamore. “I want them to recognize that they have a responsibility to care for and support this community.
We talk to her about what she experienced and how she can bring what she learned back to the classroom at Sycamore School

“The wildlife we experienced was jaw-dropping. The local people were so kind and passionate about their islands and protecting their natural resources,” she said.
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"When I tell people about Sycamore and the Borgmann Inspiration Fund, they simply cannot believe what they hear. First, to hear that a school like Sycamore exists to serve the amazing, unique kids that we do. Second, that the school and its community believe so strongly in their teachers that they would create a fund like we have."
website: sycamoreschool.org
email: [email protected]
Borgmann Inspiraration Fund: sycamoreschool.org/inspirationfund