The American Geographical Society has named Dr. Ralph Covino of Girls Preparatory School in Chattanooga as a 2022 AGS Geography Teacher Fellow.
Teachers selected from across the United States will receive special opportunities to support their teaching activities for the year. Dr. Covino is one of 50 teachers who will participate in this fifth year of the initiative.
Dr. Ralph Covino teaches advanced placement (AP) human geography at GPS. As part of the award, he will attend the AGS Fall Symposium on Nov.
17–19 at Columbia University in New York City. The Symposium provides teacher fellows with the opportunity to interact with geography and geospatial leaders from across the country, as well as receive professional training in geography and geospatial technology tools.
“It is an honor for AGS to name Dr. Ralph Covino as a 2022 AGS Geography Teacher Fellow. Dr. Covino joins a very exclusive group of the best geography teachers in the United States,” said Dr. John Konarski, CEO of the American Geographical Society. “We are eager to work with him and look forward to November when he meets with the other AGS Geography teacher fellows in New York City at our annual Symposium.”
Officials said, "Geography 2050 is the most important and widely recognized geographical/geospatial event in North America during the fall semester. CEOs and senior executives from preeminent geospatial companies along with leading experts and representatives from government, not-for-profits and academia attend the AGS Fall Symposium. The AGS Geography Teacher Fellow initiative has been made possible by generous support from the Mrs. Ilse Melamid Teacher Fellow Workshop Endowment and AGS Corporate Angels Partners, whose contributions enable resources for teacher professional development throughout the year.
"The American Geographical Society (AGS) is a 21st-century learning society dedicated to the advancement of geographic thinking, knowledge and understanding across business, government, academe, social sectors and, most importantly, with teachers and students.
"Established in 1851, AGS is the oldest professional geographical organization in the United States. It is recognized worldwide as a pioneer in geographical research and education for over 166 years. The mission of AGS is to advance and promote geography in business, government, science, and education. Our goal is to enhance the nation’s geographic literacy so as to engender sound public policy, national security and human well-being worldwide. AGS seeks to engage the American public, from its youngest to its oldest citizens, with new and amazing ways to understand and characterize our changing world. The Society maintains its headquarters in New York City."