E.X.P.L.O.R.E.
(Educational Xperiences through Play, Learning, Opportunity, and Rambunctious Energy)
E.X.P.L.O.R.E. is a summer day camp program founded by Ms. Kelsey and
former St. Gall teacher Mr. Aaron Gerstenmaier. This summer, 2009,
E.X.P.L.O.R.E. is in its FIFTH season and is being run by Ms. Kelsey, Mrs.
Angie Gazdziak, and some very special friends. E.X.P.L.O.R.E. is open to all
St. Gall students who will be starting 7th and 8th grade in the coming fall.

E.X.P.L.O.R.E. was designed to teach students and introduce them to the
disciplines of art, science, language arts, history, and current events with
an emphasis on social justice and community service. More than that,
E.X.P.L.O.R.E. is an opportunity for students to see the city of Chicago,
volunteer in high-needs areas, learn about other cultures, learn about one
another, and learn about themselves. Students who participate in
E.X.P.L.O.R.E. have the chance to travel all over the city. "Explorers" have
travelled to the beaches along Lake Michigan, the Art Institute of
Chicago, canoed down the Chicago River, taken in night games at Comiskey
Park/U.S. Cellular Field, stocked shelves at The Greater Chicago Food
Depository, toured and eaten in China Town, scavenger hunted in Grant
Park, walked Michigan Avenue, visited the John Hancock Tower, and
travelled all the way down to Chicago's Navy Pier to see performances of
Cirque Shanghai.

Requirements for E.X.P.L.O.R.E. are few. Students must attend all three
weeks of the program and must be entering 7th or 8th grade in the fall.
Students also sign behavior contracts indicating that they will abide by the
rules of E.X.P.L.O.R.E. and St. Gall School. Students and parents also must
sign permission forms for all field trip activities allowing students to
travel via school bus to visit various areas of the city. There is a $25 fee
to help cover costs for students, but some students qualify for
scholarships, and much of the cost is covered by donations to the program.
The $25 fee is one-time and covers the entire 3 week program.

E.X.P.L.O.R.E. is a positive experience for all students who participate.
Recent Explorers can tell you....

"Going to see the "cool globes" downtown really opened my eyes to how
wasteful we are and how we can help make our earth better."
--Jennifer, Class of 2009

"The scavenger hunt downtown was cool because we got to see a lot of
new places."
--Giovanni, Class of 2011
St. Gall Home
Programs
E.X.P.L.O.R.E. 2009 was fantastic! Thanks to all
our campers and parents!!!