Reach the World benefit honors Endurance22 Expedition

Endurance22 electrified the world in March by finding Ernest Shackleton's Endurance, one of the most famous shipwrecks. It rests at the bottom of Antarctica's Weddell Sea, where it sank in 1915.

More than 32,000 students were able to participate in the search and discovery over months through Reach the World's virtual exchange program via Zoom.

2022 Cronkite Award

Reach the World on Wednesday night in New York City bestowed its Cronkite Award on Donald Lamont, chairman of the Falklands Maritime Heritage Trust, the sponsor of Endurance22, The honor is named for the esteemed journalist Walter Cronkite, who chaired Reach the World's advisory board until his death in 2009.

Reach the World founder and Executive Director Heather Halstead explained her nonprofit's mission is to make the benefits of travel and international engagement accessible to kids who may not have the opportunity to roam very far outside their own communities.

The fundraising event drew the largest gathering of the Endurance22 team since their great discovery along with some of the teachers whose students are enriched by Reach the World.

Eileen Caputo, left, and fellow teacher Karen Young with Sealy, the Reach the World/Endurance22 mascot. Further educators present from Lincoln School in Hasbrouck Heights were Cindy Cappozzi, Eileen LaTorre and Principal Joseph Colangelo

Eileen Caputo, a special education teacher from Lincoln School in Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey, said her kids have enthusiastically engaged with inspiring travelers thanks to the program. Reach the World has been especially valuable during the pandemic when nobody could go anywhere and Zoom was so critical. The material goes into 'everything' Caputo teaches.

Board member John Delaney

She was among the educators at a table hosted by John Delaney, a Reach the World board member and former president of Windstar Cruises. While at Windstar, Delaney facilitated a Reach the World program that virtually engaged students in a 56-day ‘Grand Caribbean’ voyage, to learn from the crew about their work, how they interact with local cultures and experience incredible sea life.

John Delaney is a Reach the World board member

'I really believe in the power of travel to expand people's perspective,' Delaney said.

Before leading Windstar, Delaney held senior roles with Seabourn and Holland America Line and directed special projects for Carnival Corp. Seabourn was a main event sponsor of the Reach the World benefit, and Delaney's remarks highlighted the line's new purpose-built expedition ships, with Seabourn Venture just delivered last month. There was brisk bidding for a donated Seabourn cruise.

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings was also a supporter of the event.

The Explorers Club's commemorative 'Endurance Found' coin

Through donations, a silent auction and raffle, $117,683 was raised.

In another cruise-related aspect, Mensun Bound, marine archaeologist and director of exploration for Endurance22, told Seatrade Cruise News he had recently lectured aboard a crossing on Cunard's Queen Mary 2. And he recounted how Lars-Eric Lindblad, who pioneered expedition cruises to Antarctica, was a friend of his father's and often visited their home. 

Today, Lindblad's son Sven-Olof chairs Lindblad Expeditions. Among the fleet is National Geographic Endurance, named in honor of Shackleton.

National Geographic documentary this fall

Also on hand for the benefit was Endurance22's documentary director, BAFTA-nominated Natalie Hewit ('Antarctica: Ice Station Rescue,' 'Greta Thunberg: A Year To Change The World'). Her chronicle of the Endurance quest is set to premiere this fall as part of National Geographic's Explorer series, to air globally in 172 countries and 43 languages before it heads to Disney+. ​

Endurance22 expedition leader John Shears related how his love of geography was thanks to a teacher and paid tribute to the teachers attending, telling them 'What you do can influence a child for the rest of their lives. That's certainly true for me.' The day following the event, expedition team members were heading to a school in Brooklyn to review expedition proposals from students.

'They're the stars in all this,' Shears said.