why Explo who we are history of Explo – inspiration – evolution – today our students find out more

our history When Ann and Arnie Singal founded Exploration in 1976, they created a unique summer experience for high school students that combined the best aspects of summer camps — close friendships, activities, and adventure — with a focus on education and life-learning. Since then, Exploration has grown into three separate programs: the Senior Program for high school students, the Intermediate Program for middle school students, and the Junior Program for elementary school students. the inspiration The inspiration for Exploration comes from Arnie’s days as an administrator and freshman advisor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). While working at MIT, Arnie noticed several programs being offered to first-year college students that he felt would also be of great benefit for high school students. Working together with Ann, these concepts became the framework for the Exploration Summer Programs of today. Arnie found that his MIT advisees loved their freshman seminars. Designed to expose students to new subjects and academic disciplines, the seminars created an intimate learning environment that encouraged student participation and active learning. Because the seminars were informal, students felt comfortable to take academic risks. And because the courses had limited enrollment, students really got to know their instructors and felt more comfortable being involved in the classroom. Exploration’s ungraded courses and mini-courses have been crafted in the spirit of the freshman seminar, but are tailored to the developmental needs of our students: our class sizes are limited and there is a focus on active learning, student participation, and intellectual inquiry. The activities, trips, and special events that make up Exploration have a function similar to MIT’s Independent Activities Period (IAP). For one month between fall and spring semesters, the MIT community takes a break from its regular course schedule and participates in a variety of structured activities, including how-to sessions, forums, lecture series, films, tours, recitals, and contests. Like the IAP, Exploration gives our students a fun and educational release from the pressures and rigors of the academic school year, and allows our students to try their hands at a variety of new activities and ideas. Through a Cambridge, Massachusetts tutoring program in which undergraduate students from local colleges volunteered to tutor high school students, Ann and Arnie saw first-hand how well-rounded college students were able to connect with high school students. Because they were close in age, tutors in the Cambridge program were able to interact and relate with their students in ways that made the academic material feel more comfortable and approachable. The tutors not only inspired students in their academic pursuits, but also served as fantastic role-models and mentors. With the support of experienced educators in our Curriculum Departments, our faculty and instructors bring a stimulating passion to their subjects, and are inspiring to our students both inside and outside of the classroom. Over the years, much has changed at Exploration. But these core inspirations — courses in the spirit of the freshman seminar, a wide variety of educational and recreational activities, and an inspiring faculty composed of graduate and undergraduate students — remain at the heart of what Exploration Summer Programs is all about.

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