The Public Education Foundation recently celebrated the accomplishments of 27 Hamilton County teachers who were awarded $96,630 in fellowship grants to pursue self-designed learning adventures this summer.

The fellowships were made possible through a grant to PEF from the national nonprofit organization, Fund for Teachers, according to a news release from PEF.

Among the approved proposals:

• Lora Jenkins and Lonna Henriquez, Tyner Middle School Academy, conducted biodiversity and conservation research in Costa Rica for a documentary and curriculum materials to be used in a school-wide unit.

• Tammy Johnson and Kristy Kimball, of McConnell Elementary, traveled with naturalists to explore Alaska's diverse landscapes, culture and environment to develop a cross-curricular science/social studies unit called "The Case of the Missing Sea Otter."

• Katie Hawkins, of Brown Middle School, and Rachel Price, of Red Bank Middle School, attended the Reading and Writing Summer Institute at Columbia University and met with young adult author Lois Lowery to discuss the craft of writing for young adults.

• Stacy Williams, of East Brainerd Elementary School, and Rita Schubert, of East Ridge Elementary School, attended a creativity workshop in Barcelona and a brain-based workshop in Texas to acquire strategies to ignite creativity in students from poverty.

• Susan Morrison, of East Hamilton Middle/High School, ventured to Cambodia to meet survivors of the Khmer Rouge and discovered the potential for grass roots activism in Third World economies.

"We were delighted to see the impact these Fund for Teachers experiences have had on our Hamilton County educators," Leslie Graitcer, PEF Fund for Teachers coordinator, said in a news release. "It's wonderful to see how those experiences are enriching classrooms and engaging students this fall."

Applications for 2013 Fund for Teachers fellowships are now available and are due Jan. 28, 2013. Click here for more information.