Cypress Creek High School Educator Awarded Fund for Teachers Grant to Explore the Amazon and Enrich Student Learning
A Cypress-Fairbanks ISD educator will join an elite group of U.S. teachers this summer on a global learning journey funded by Fund for Teachers, a national nonprofit that empowers educators to pursue self-designed professional development experiences. Angela Guy, an art teacher at Cypress Creek High School, is one of 357 educators across the country selected as a 2025 Fund for Teachers Fellow and will travel to the Amazon Rainforest to explore how environmental science and the arts can intersect to better engage her students.
Guy will participate in The Educator Academy in the Amazon Rainforest, an immersive program where she will study biodiversity, sustainability, and conservation through the lens of both science and creative expression. Her goal is to translate those lessons into inclusive, hands-on projects that connect with students who may struggle in traditional academic settings.
“This opportunity allows me to grow as both an educator and an advocate for diverse learners,” said Angela Guy. “By experiencing the Amazon firsthand, I can develop innovative approaches to teaching that resonate with students who learn differently and help them see themselves as capable, curious, and connected to the wider world.”
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Guy’s dedication to cross-cultural learning is deeply rooted in personal experience. Years before teaching in CFISD, she served as a U.S. Peace Corps volunteer in Ghana, where she spent a year teaching art in a rural village classroom with no running water, air conditioning, or basic supplies. After enduring an eight-hour journey in a broken-down “tro-tro truck” to reach her post, she quickly realized her training had not fully prepared her for the challenges ahead. Yet those challenges—paired with the rich cultural experiences she gained—changed her forever.
Immersed in Ghanaian daily life, from witnessing head-carrying traditions to navigating wildlife encounters with elephants, Guy developed a deep appreciation for cultural resilience and adaptability. Today, she uses her experiences to bring global perspectives into her Cypress Creek classroom, often using art as a bridge to help students explore world cultures and foster meaningful discussions about the diverse lives and environments beyond their own.
Fund for Teachers, which is based in Houston, has awarded more than $39 million in grants to over 10,000 educators nationwide since its founding in 2001. Teachers are awarded up to $5,000 individually or $10,000 as teams to explore learning experiences that address gaps in their own classrooms. Unlike traditional professional development, Fund for Teachers allows educators to choose where and how they learn—trusting that teachers know best how to grow for the benefit of their students.
This year’s 25th cohort of fellows will use $1.625 million in total funding to pursue experiential learning in 79 countries across six continents.
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“Fund for Teachers was born from the idea that educators deserve the same investment we expect them to make in our students,” said Karen Eckhoff, Executive Director. “We believe that by giving teachers the opportunity to learn and grow in meaningful ways, we inspire greater student engagement and help sustain long, impactful careers in education.”
By combining her Amazon experience with her past global service, Guy hopes to further enrich her curriculum with firsthand knowledge of environmental systems and indigenous communities—creating space for her students to think critically and creatively about their role in a rapidly changing world.
Fund for Teachers continues to distinguish itself through its teacher-centered model, where educators—not administrators or outside consultants—design learning experiences based on their specific student needs. The result is an investment that not only reinvigorates teachers but also sparks student curiosity, creativity, and cultural awareness.
To learn more about Fund for Teachers or explore how you can support educator-driven learning, visit www.fundforteachers.org.
Tiffany Krenek has been on the My Neighborhood News team since August 2021. She is passionate about curating and sharing content that enriches the lives of our readers in a personal, meaningful way. A loving mother and wife, Tiffany and her family live in the West Houston/Cypress region.