Hello, and welcome to my Antarctica trip journal.
My name is Justin Kendhammer. I am a 37-year-old bald guy. I am married with two dogs and no kids. I teach at Alpine Leadership Academy, a magnet middle school that focuses on the Colorado Plateau through a model that brings students to the locations they are learning about in the classroom and provides experiences as a foundation for learning. We are part of the Flagstaff Unified School District and serve 260 students in 6th through 8th grades within Mount Elden Middle School.
In the coming 40 or so days I will be taking part in what might be considered a journey of a lifetime. The purpose of the trip is twofold: 1) to assist in the gathering of data and samples to determine the activity of soil microbes found in the Dry Valleys of Antarctica, and 2) to report this information back to the classroom and community to help increase understanding and awareness of the role that science plays in the polar regions.
I will make every effort to keep my journal up to date with the stories, challenges, and accomplishments of this undertaking, though internet connectivity at camp will be a limiting factor. If you find that you are curious about any of the topics of the journal please feel free to ask questions through the "Ask the Team" or the "Forum Replies" links.
I look forward to making this a great experience and one that brings light to a remote and interesting part of the world.