Churchill, Manitoba — 12/10/25 — Emerson Kelly, a Senior at Pinecrest Lakes Prep, traveled to Churchill, Manitoba, to join Polar Bears International (PBI) during the annual polar bear migration season. This year, Emerson was invited to join scientific team members on Tundra Buggy One, a unique research vehicle and broadcast center built for field observation, polar bear tagging, data collection, and educational STEM programs delivered online from the Arctic to students around the world.
Emerson is the youngest participant to shadow the team members who observe and share insights into the lives of these Arctic predators and the challenges they face. She spent five days at the Tundra Lodge basecamp located in a remote area near Hudson Bay.
“Being right there, locking eyes with one of the planet’s most powerful animals and their cubs, made me realize more than ever how urgently we need to step up and protect the health and safety of their environment,” Emerson stated. Polar bears are on the IUCN Red List, classified as highly vulnerable to extinction in the wild, primarily due to climate change.
Each year, polar bears migrate in anticipation of ice formation that signals the end of their fasting period. However, an increasing number fail to survive, as persistent warmth in the Arctic leaves them stranded.
According to Krista Wright, PBI Executive Director, “this migration season was special for PBI; involving a teen participant in our expedition marks a milestone in PBI’s ongoing effort to involve the next generation in STEM fields. We hope to inspire those scientists, educators, and advocates to lead the way in addressing the obstacles that animals—indeed, all of nature—face. We are thrilled to see young leaders like Emerson stepping into college already carrying insights shaped by global research.”
To learn more, visit Polarbearsinternational.org
