Sarah Compton
Sarah Compton
Fellowship Placement: U.S. Geological Survey
Hometown: Chicago, IL
Sarah Compton is a dedicated science educator with 17 years of experience teaching in Chicago. Most recently, she has worked with Chicago Public Schools, where she has taught Environmental Science, Biology, Chemistry, and dual credit Nutrition and Biology courses in partnership with The City Colleges of Chicago.
Sarah holds a BA in Biology and an MA in Secondary Education from St. Catherine University in St. Paul, Minnesota, as well as an MA in Biology from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. Recently, she completed certification in English as a Second Language (ESL). Committed to providing all students with a high-quality science education, Sarah has devoted her career to neighborhood schools, believing that fostering curiosity and a love of learning are crucial for long-lasting educational impact. Her approach emphasizes creating authentic learning experiences that connect students to their communities and the world beyond the classroom.
Sarah's commitment to professional growth is evident through her participation in numerous programs designed to enhance her content knowledge and classroom practice. These include the National Geographic Certified Educator Program, the Partners in Fieldwork Program with the Lincoln Park Zoo and Urban Wildlife Institute, the IREX Global STEM Challenge, and the STEM Green Labs US & Jordan Teacher Exchange. In 2018, she was selected as a Grosvenor Teacher Fellow by National Geographic and Lindblad Expeditions, allowing her to explore the biodiversity and conservation efforts in the Galapagos Islands. The following year, she was selected for the Educator-Explorer Exchange, where she collaborated with a professional photographer to develop lessons on photography and visual storytelling. In 2020, Sarah received a National Geographic COVID-19 Grant to co-author curriculum and develop bilingual resources about modern-day explorers from Central and South America. Her ongoing commitment to global education led her to Baja, Mexico in 2022 as an Ecology Project International Fellow to study marine biodiversity, and in 2023, she traveled to Costa Rica as an Earthwatch Teacher Fellow to focus on marine mammal conservation.
Beyond her classroom, Sarah has been actively involved in improving science curriculum and education through various projects. She has supervised 12 pre-service teachers across different science educator programs and was a mentor for other Grosvenor Teacher Fellows in 2019. Sarah is also an engaged member of the Teacher Advisory Council at the John G. Shedd Aquarium, serves as a delegate for the Chicago Teachers Union, and is part of a Gender lnclusivity working group dedicated to enhancing gender inclusivity in Chicago Public Schools science curricula. In 2022, she was the science consultant for the Art Institute of Chicago's Art+ Science Project, showcasing the integration of science at the museum.
