One of the world’s preeminent polar explorers, Ann Bancroft has traversed both the North and South Poles. She is the first woman to reach the North Pole by dog sled, and the first woman to ski across Greenland. She led the first group of women to reach the South Pole on skis. The inspiration? In part, it was Endurance, Alfred Lansing’s 1959 book on polar explorer Ernest Shackleton. This inspiration and the following achievements are made all the more amazing by the fact that Ann is also dyslexic.
Born in 1955 in Mendota Heights, Minnesota, Bancroft grew up exploring the outdoors, leading mini-wilderness treks with her cousins, and getting increasingly frustrated in school. In 7th grade she found that her learning challenges had a name; she was diagnosed with dyslexia.
In response to a challenge, Ann continued with school, earning a college degree and becoming a special education teacher, and a physical education teacher. She now co-owns Bancroft Arnesen Explore, which creates inspiring lessons to help young people achieve their dreams, with expedition partner Liv Arnesen. Together, these two former schoolteachers have developed the Dare to Dream Curriculum to help K-6 graders learn how to set and achieve goals.
In addition to Bancroft Arnesen Explore, Ann also founded The Ann Bancroft Foundation, a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to support “girls and women to realize their highest dreams and potential.” The foundation recognizes “individual achievement” and promotes “initiatives that inspire courage, risk-taking, integrity and individuality in girls and women.” In both her landmark exploration achievements and in her efforts to help educate and inspire women, girls, and young learners, Ann clearly has not let dyslexia stand in the way of her own dreams.
She reflected on her dyslexia in a People weekly article (October 30, 2000), “It’s given me strength. I feel lucky, and I couldn’t say that as a child.” Ann has gone from hiding her disability, as she did for her first expedition, to talking about it with other students with learning disabilities. She has given a voice to dyslexia, one where she is not ashamed of her disability, but rather feels proud
LINKS:
The Ann Bancroft Foundation
Inspiring courage, risk-taking, integrity, and individuality in girls and women.
Bancroft Arnesen Explore
From website: Bancroft Arnesen Explore is a cooperative between Ann Bancroft and Liv Arnesen, whose shared mission is to inspire people, particularly women and girls, to follow their dreams.
