Collegiate will join the Global Education Benchmark Group in their expedition to Namibia this summer. Collegiate will embark on this adventure with students from Hotchkiss, Cape Henry, Wilbraham & Monson, Head-Royce, and Hathaway Brown. There will be 25 students total that will spend 15 days in southern Africa and traveling all over the country of Namibia. The main focus of this expedition is to study the techniques implemented by the Cheetah Conservation Fund to conserve the delicate cheetah population in Namibia from extinction. The students will focus their research on topics of their choice ranging from DNA and genetics, tracking of kills, tracking of feces, health and reproduction, and behavioral and social interactions. The students have been preparing for this experience since January, 2015 by exploring (through an on-line course) the socio-politco-economic structure of Namibia and the history of the country and it's peoples. Upon returning from Namibia, the students will spend additional time in the classroom collating their data, writing up their results and experiences, and creating presentations for faculty and administrative teams at Collegiate. This blog will be turned over to the students at this point so that they can convey their experiences and their thoughts as they venture to the southern tip of Africa and explore the habitat of the Cheetah.