Matteson teacher wins contest to meet Jane Goodall

MATTESON — A suburban Chicago science teacher departs Monday to meet famed anthropologist Jane Goodall after winning a contest.

Renee Covert is a teacher at O.W. Huth Middle School in Matteson. She entered an online contest that will take her to Los Angeles this week to meet Goodall backstage at a celebration of the primate researcher's long career.

“Jane Goodall Live” on Tuesday will celebrate a half-century of Goodall's work. She started studying chimpanzees in Africa in 1960. The event will be shown in 500 theaters nationwide, including 18 in the Chicago area.

Covert says she signed an online card congratulating Goodall, which carried with it an option to enter a contest. She did and won $3,000 and the trip.