2026 Study Tours

a woman stand in front of the brandenburg gate with her back to the camera © Goethe-Institut

This summer, 42 social studies educators from the United States and Canada will travel to Germany as fellows of the Transatlantic Outreach Program (TOP)! Selected from a pool of nearly 200 applicants, this new cohort of teacher-leaders will spend 10 days gaining first-hand, in-depth knowledge about the social, political, economic, and cultural landscape of contemporary Germany and engaging in meaningful dialogue with their German hosts.

Below you can meet our new 2026 cohort of TOP Fellows! After the tours, this page will be updated with tour recaps and links to the Fellows' newly created lesson materials.

Since 2002, nearly 2,000 educators have traveled to Germany with the Transatlantic Outreach Program.

 

TOP 1 Fellows

  • Dr. Tina Ellsworth

    President, National Council for the Social Studies
    Assistant Professor and Program Coordinator of Social Studies
    University of Central Missouri
    Missouri, USA

    Tina Ellsworth

  • Francesca Foley

    World History, Women's History, American Government & Politics
    Department Chair
    St. Mary's Academy
    Oregon, USA

    Francesca Foley

  • Jane Highley

    Civics, AP Human Geography, AP U.S. Government, AP Comparative Government, U.S. History
    Department Chair
    Devon Preparatory School
    Pennsylvania, USA

    Jane Highley

  • Heather Kiser

    World History/Geography, AP World History, AP U.S. History
    Marcos de Niza High School
    Arizona, USA

    Heather Kiser

  • Chris Klosterman

    Modern World History, American Government, American Civil War
    Department Chairman
    Clay High School
    Ohio, USA

    Chris Klosterman

  • Kelly Matthews

    4th Grade, all subjects with International Baccalaureate focus
    Steele Elementary
    Colorado, USA

    Kelly Matthews

  • Ashley Melville

    Social Studies Program Specialist
    Georgia Department of Education
    Georgia, USA

    Ashley Melville

  • Rhonda O'Keefe

    Geography
    Mary Emily Bryan Middle School
    Missouri, USA

    Rhonda O'Keefe

  • Nicole Sarrazin-Strong

    World Geography, IB 20th Century Topics
    Big Sky High School
    Montana, USA

    Nicole Sarrazin-Strong

  • Jon Schulte

    World History, World Geography, U.S. History, Modern Events
    Dell Rapids School District
    South Dakota, USA

    Jon Schulte

  • James Smith

    World History 2, U.S. History
    Herndon High School
    Virginia, USA

    James Smith

  • Dr. Ashley Spencer

    Social Studies, English Language Arts, Math
    School District of Clayton
    Missouri, USA

    Dr. Ashley Spencer

  • Sarah Troxell

    World History
    Robert B. Glenn High School
    North Carolina, USA

    Sarah Troxell

  • Dr. Irenea Walker

    Assistant Professor of Social Studies Methods
    Elementary Education Clinical II Supervisor
    Illinois State University
    Illinois, USA

    Dr. Irenea Walker

TOP 2 Fellows

  • Eric Coleman

    AP Government & Politics, CP Government, Student Government/Leadership
    Irmo High School International School for the Arts
    South Carolina, USA

    Eric Coleman

  • Spencer Cooke

    U.S. Government & Civics, Personal Finance
    Cheatham County Central High School
    Tennessee, USA

    Spencer Cooke

  • Andy Hartman

    U.S. Government & Politics, AP Human Geography, Hip Hop Revolution
    Middleton High School
    Wisconsin, USA

    Andy Hartman

  • Lisa Keener

    Social Studies
    Robbinsville High School
    North Carolina, USA

    Lisa Keener

  • Jessica Kraker

    Social Studies
    High School of Art and Design
    New York, USA

    Ms. Jessica Kraker

  • Adria Lee

    History, Geography, AP Seminar
    University of Toronto Schools
    Ontario, Canada

    Adria Lee

  • Kiel Maurath

    Civics, United States History, World History
    Hudson High School
    Massachusetts, USA

    Kiel Maurath

  • Vickie Morgado

    All Subjects
    St. Philip Elementary School
    Ontario, Canada

    Vickie Morgado

  • Amy Page

    United States History, Social Studies Independent Study - National History Day
    Santa Fe High School
    New Mexico, USA

    Amy Page

  • Donna Sliger-Zertuche

    Economics, Civics, Economics Honors, AP U.S. Government and Politics, World History
    Glen A. Wilson High School
    California, USA

    Donna Sliger-Zertuche

  • Adam Topliff

    Teacher Leader Consultant
    Kansas State Department of Education
    9-12 Social Studies Teacher
    Wamego High School
    Kansas, USA

    Adam Topliff

  • Connie Tscherner

    Social Studies, Math, English Langage Arts, Science, Health
    P.L. Robertson Public School
    Ontario, Canada

    Connie Tscherner

  • Kate Van Haren

    Social Studies and ELA
    Pittsville School District
    Wisconsin, USA

    Kate Van Haren

  • Lynette Wescott

    6th Grade Social Studies
    Pittsburg Community Middle School
    Kansas, USA

    Lynette Wescott

TOP 3 Fellows

  • Taylor Aiello

    U.S. Government, ESOL Government, ESOL Economics
    Valley High School
    Iowa, USA

    Taylor Aiello

  • Allison Cecil

    AP Human Geography, Personal Finance
    duPont Manual High School
    Kentucky, USA

    Allison Cecil

  • Eric Erickson

    Government & Politics, AP Macroeconomics, U.S. History, AP Psychology
    Como Park Senior High School
    Minnesota, USA

    Eric Erickson

  • Nicole Fagundes

    AP Human Geography, Teacher Training
    Carson High School
    Nevada, USA

    Nicole Fagundes

  • Nick Graham

    Interdisciplinary: History, Art History, Social Studies
    TAG School for Young Scholars
    New York, USA

    Nick Graham

  • Kerry Hartley

    Economics, Personal Finance, World History, Current Global Issues
    Canton High School
    Connecticut, USA

    Kerry Hartley

  • Michael Jackson

    Economics, Government, U.S. History and World History
    Youthbuild Charter
    California, USA

    Michael Jackson

  • Katy McCombs

    Social Studies, ELA, Math, Science, Debate
    Parley's Park Elementary
    Utah, USA

    Katy McCombs

  • Heather Pierce

    AP Human Geography, AP World History, AP European History
    Satellite Senior High School
    Florida, USA

    Heather Pierce

  • Keke Powell

    2nd Grade
    Sunfield Elementary School
    Texas, USA

    Keke Powell

  • Hannah Rude

    Director of K-12 Social Studies and World and Native Languages
    Arizona Department of Education
    Arizona, USA

    Hannah Rude

  • Dr. Rob Sorensen

    History, Government
    The Bear Creek School
    Washington, USA

    Dr. Rob Sorensen

  • Chris Turley

    AP Human Geography, Government and Politics
    Lincoln High School
    Nebraska, USA

    Chris Turley

  • Kelly Wall

    World Geography, Ancient Civilizations
    Marshall Middle School
    Pennsylvania, USA

    Kelly Wall

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