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Maureen & Scott Fray
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Wonder Treks
Based in Flagstaff, Arizona, Wonder Treks is an academic travel company founded on the love of education and a passion for the environment. Scott and Maureen Fray have been devoting their lives to the education of young adults and together have over 14 years of professional experience. With a successful and exciting past in education and travel, Scott and Maureen are thrilled to share their knowledge with eager students!
Wonder Treks are not 'tours' of foreign countries but opportunities for young adults to apply their knowledge of life science, earth science, and ecology to the real world. With the guidance of certified classroom teachers, students are given the opportunity to make classroom science come to life.
Our adventures allow us to compare the ecosystems we are from to those found around the world. Having an understanding of natural systems and the challenges they face will help us to move forward in the conservation of our planet's natural resources. Here at Wonder Treks we hope to help instill a lifelong passion for education, travel, and the incredible world we live in.
Wonder Trek Instructors
Maureen Fray, B.S. Parks and Rec, M.Ed.
Long before Maureen ever knew Outdoor Education was an option for a career, she had been working with kids in the great outdoors as well as heading out into the wilderness for her own adventures. For the past 5 years, Maureen has been involved in a Forestry Camp run out of the Northern Arizona University School of Forestry. As Camp Director, Maureen is responsible for the daily supervision of campers and staff, curriculum design and instruction, and the overall safety of her campers. In January of 2008, Maureen received her certificate as a Wilderness First Responder and holds a current CPR card. Maureen received her bachelor of science degree in Parks and Recreation Management with a minor in Geography from Northern Arizona University. Maureen received her Master's of Education with an emphasis in Elementary Education from Northern Arizona University, with certification to teach grades K-8. Last summer, in addition to teaching in Peru, Maureen continued her own education by studying Tropical Forestry in Ghana, West Africa!
Scott Fray, B.S. Wildlife Biology, M.A.Science Teaching, M.Ed. Secondary Biology
Scott has been working towards a career in international conservation and education for many years. He received a B.S. degree in Wildlife Science from Virginia Tech and was fortunate to spend 6 months studying in Kenya as a part of his training. He has been a docent for the Arcata Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary, a presenter and animal care expert at the Rocky Mountain Animal Rehabilitation Center in Telluride, and has taught international classes (Tropical Ecology, and Cultures and Ecosystems) in Belize for San Francisco State University. He always knew that education would be a large part of his career in wildlife biology, what he didn't realize at the time was that wildlife would end up being a substantial part of his career in education! He has since received two Master's Degrees in Education from Northern Arizona University and began teaching formally in both Middle School General Science and High School Biology classrooms in the Sedona-Oak Creek School District in 2006. In 2010 he was recognized as a top-ten finalist in the Arizona State Teacher of the Year program. In 2011 he was selected as both the 4th-8th grade and the overall Teacher of the Year for Yavapai County. Scott is continuing to pursue his passion for science education as an Assistant Clinical Professor at NAU training future science and math teachers, and is grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the profession on a larger scale.
Jenny Grabelsky, BA Psychology
Jenny's love for the outdoors and international travel began with her first trip to South America as a teenager in 2001. The five weeks she spent traveling, hiking and exploring Ecuador proved challenging and invigorating, a euphoria that has never left her. Since then, Jenny has traveled across South America, lived in Argentina, taught English to adults and children in Costa Rica, led canoe trips for teens and families throughout the Unites States, and, most recently, worked as a Spanish and American Sign Language interpreter in the Peruvian Amazon. With a BA in Psychology from Wesleyan University, Jenny is looking forward to helping foster the kind of experience for Wonder Treks teens that so positively influenced her life. Jenny believes that international travel at a young age allows for greater perspective, cross-cultural understanding, and strong self-confidence, and that stepping outside of one's comfort zone to overcome challenges, particularly in a group setting or unfamiliar environment, can be a transformational and character-building adventure for young people during their critical formative years. Jenny is currently working toward a career as an international guide for young people, and is very excited to be joining the Wonder Treks family.
Kari Signor, M.S. in Wildlife Biology
Kari's background in Natural Resources and her experience with international travel make her an ideal addition to the Wonder Treks Family! She received her BS degree in Wildlife Science from Virginia Tech and her MS degree in Wildlife Biology from Utah State University. She has worked with numerous federal and state wildlife management agencies where she gained research experience working with wildlife such as sea turtles, bats, bald eagles, elk, wolves, bears, and foxes. She also lived in Kenya (with Scott, in fact!) studying Wildlife Biology and in Costa Rica studying Tropical Ecology and Spanish. She is currently living in Guatemala studying Spanish and exploring as many Central American ecosystems and cultures as possible while enhancing her language skills. Her experiences have made her a strong advocate of education through travel abroad. She believes this offers a unique and unparalleled opportunity to gain lifelong skills that can only be learned through personal experiences rather than from the pages of a textbook. Through these experiences, students can gain a more realistic understanding and appreciation for the relationships (and conflicts) that exist between local culture, the ecology of natural resources, and the conservation of both. Kari is looking forward to meeting our students at the airport in Iquitos, Peru and is excited to help them develop their own understandings and fascination for the incredible world of Tropical Ecology!
Flagstaff, AZ
