Ohio Teacher of the Year Chris Monsour brings global conservation stories home to Tiffin

Joint release from Tiffin City Schools and the Franciscan Earth Literacy Center

TIFFIN, Ohio: From protecting sea turtles in Trinidad to exploring Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, Columbian High School biology teacher Chris Monsour has gathered conservation stories from around the world. On Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2026, he will bring those experiences home for an evening with the Tiffin community.

The public is invited to learn from the 2026 Ohio Teacher of the Year, recently selected as one of just five public school educators nationwide for the 2027 Horace Mann Awards for Teaching Excellence. Monsour will share encounters with remarkable wildlife and the lessons he has brought home, offering an evening of discovery for anyone curious about the natural world.

Sponsored by the Franciscan Earth Literacy Center, “One Planet, Many Stories: Lessons from the Wild” will take place from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Elizabeth Schaefer Auditorium, 190 St. Francis Ave., Tiffin. The presentation is open to the public. Admission is free, and donations are welcome. No registration is required.

“I am really looking forward to sharing my experiences with the community,” Monsour said. “I have been talking about my trips in class, it will be great to share these with a bigger audience.”

The program will take attendees to Trinidad to learn about endangered sea turtles, Namibia to explore cheetah conservation, Australia’s Great Barrier Reef to discover marine ecosystems and Yellowstone National Park to experience wildlife conservation. Monsour will also share experiences in Thailand exploring how Buddhist monks connect spirituality with environmental stewardship.

The evening will connect those faraway experiences with Ohio’s forests and waterways, showing how protecting the planet can begin with small actions close to home. Students, families and anyone curious about wildlife or the wider world are invited to attend.

“FELC promotes our oneness with all creation and Chris reminds us of that oneness,” said Cassie Bencivengo, administrator of the Franciscan Earth Literacy Center. “We are pleased to share in the wonder of God's local and global creation through hearing from Chris on his travels and experiences. Conservation efforts, both locally and globally, will hopefully preserve these gifts for future generations.”

Community members are encouraged to mark Dec. 2 on the calendar, invite a friend and join Ohio’s Teacher of the Year for a journey around the world without leaving Tiffin.

With more than 27 years of teaching experience, Monsour connects students with conservation through BioClub and local environmental projects. He also received a Fulbright Teacher Exchange award for the 2026-2027 cycle from the U.S. Department of State.

For more information, contact Andria Marquis, communications coordinator for St. Francis Community, at 419-447-0435 or amarquis@tiffinfranciscans.org.