Portal HS science teacher fundraising to help send students to Iceland

PHS students are working hard to raise funds for their spring break trip to Iceland in 2023. Credit: Clinton Thornburg

Life experience is so necessary. And getting a jump start on it in high school can impact your life in profound ways.

Clinton Thornburg, a science teacher at Portal High School, understands these sentiments completely. So much so, that he is leading the charge in fundraising money for his science class’s 2023 spring break trip to Iceland. He notes that this experience will be one of scientific pursuits, as well as one of turning points in his students’ small-town worldview.

Now primarily, Thornburg chose Iceland for his students because it is a scientific wonderland! From mile to mile, the terrain changes, with a rugged landscape, picturesque scenery of mountains, glaciers, and geysers providing the perfect teachable moments for his students.

They have planned visits to sustainable farms and geothermal plants to be real-time demonstrations of the experiments his students thought they would only read in their textbooks. How exciting it will be to have them experience these scientific delights first-hand!

Now you may be wondering why Thornburg has opted out of giving his students this scientific experience in a more locally and economically feasible location. Well Thornburg stands tall on the sentiment that traveling abroad will aid his small-town students in becoming global citizens. It will unveil their eyes to the endless possibilities of the world. It may even unlock within themselves more unexplored worlds of self-belief, career path confidence, and humanitarianism desires along the way.

Skogafoss waterfall in Iceland (Photo Credit: Brooks Turner)

Thornburg himself has served in the military and has had the opportunity to travel across the globe. And throughout his travels, his interaction with different people from different cultures has advanced him greatly in becoming the best version of himself thus far.

He desires the same sort of experience for his promising Portal students who continuously admire his relatability and fervor for life.

Thornburg’s students currently have a myriad of fundraisers going on to raise money for their upcoming Icelandic trip.

  • They will be attending Greenfest this year on October 1 in downtown Statesboro to increase the support and funds for their trip.
  • The students will also be partnering with Statesboro’s Tarantino's Restaurant on October 5 to serve as its waitstaff. The students will pool together their collected tips and have the monies go towards their anticipated trip.

If you’d like to learn more about how you can contribute financially to these Portal students’ scientific quest to Iceland, please contact Clinton Thornburg at cthornburg@bullochschools.org .

You can also check out Thornburg’s students' Go Fund Me to contribute to their Icelandic quest. You can help these students' trip become a reality!

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