Campers
Ages 5-14 <-

an activity held under an old oak tree
on how to read your horoscope, while
20 feet away there would be a game of
ultimate frisbee and, another 20 feet
away, a discussion on college life in
the '90s.
With so many options, it was hard
to be bored at Explo. However, if for
some reason a person could not find
any organized activity of interest, he
could always head to the lake on cam-
pus and go canoeing or participate in
a number of traditional health club
sports in the Wellesley Gymnasium.
As a last, but pleasant, resort, a per-
son could always hang out in the very
cute town of Wellesley, a typical New
England town with quite a few stores
and boutiques as well as restaurants
and even a Starbucks! I really enjoyed
having the opportunity to go into
town. It was very handy to be able to
make a run to the drugstore there, or
just get some ice cream with my
friends or eat in a restaurant to escape
the dorm food (which wasn't that
bad).
At night, there was always a main
event. We either had entertainers from
the Boston and New England area or
some type of theme night. We heard
the band Guster (who've come out
with a CD and are going to make it
big one of these days). Also, we had
comedians, casino nights, Grease and
Rocky Horror Picture Show bonanzas,
talent shows and many other fun
events.
On a few occasions, all 500 of us
boarded buses and took the ride to a
movie theater to see a film. One
evening, Exploration rented out the
Boston dance club Avalon for a night
of dancing.
Along with all the fun at
Exploration, each person takes two
workshops he chooses in advance.
Mine was a community service class,
where we did community service
around the Boston area, including at a
Ronald McDonald House for families
of young hospital patients. My second
workshop was on advertising. We cri-
tiqued commercials and learned how
advertisers use subliminal messages.
For the most part, the workshops
were not majorly stressful academical-
ly, but enjoyable topics that schools do
not offer.
At Explo there were about 50
workshops to choose from. What
makes these workshops even more
enjoyable is that they are taught by
college students who have an interest
in the subject. With about 15 campers
in each workshop and a college-age

teacher," these "learning experiences"
were a comfortable and enjoyable set-
ting for all.
Not only were the workshops dif-
ferent from the norm, but three times
a week each person was able to go on
a variety of trips around Boston and
the New England area. I went shop-
ping in Quincy Market, blueberry
picking on a farm in Vermont and got
sunburned at a water park in New
Hampshire — all in one week!
Each week we had many trips to
choose from. Since I am not from the
East Coast, I found this aspect of the
program to be very exciting. I got to
travel around with my friends while
doing fun activities in places that I
had never visited.
Exploration, and many programs
like it, put a big emphasis on planning
fun and interesting field trips for
teenagers. For example, on any given
field trip day I could have gone white-
water rafting, had brunch at the
House of Blues in Boston or gone on
a college tour of many New England
schools (what is especially helpful is
that the Explo counselors who go to
these schools give the tours, so you get
an honest opinion about what these
schools are really like).
Overall, the trips were my favorite
thing about the program, except, of
course, for the people.
Let me tell you: I had a better
geography lesson in my three weeks of
Exploration than throughout my 11
1/2 years of school. I must have met
people from almost every state, as well
as from every European country that I
can identify on a map.
The diversity of people was amaz-
ing. I did not initially think I would
meet somebody from Saudi Arabia or
for that matter room with a true-blue
California girl. I met some of the
greatest people while I was at
Exploration, and we formed extraordi-
nary bonds. I e-mail my Exploration
friends regularly, and they hail from
New York to Hawaii.
I would have to say the indepen-
dence that Exploration gives to each
person and the program's flexibility are
probably its greatest assets. And the
experience gave me the confidence to
go out in the world and tackle other
opportunities. However, the friends I
made from around the world outshine
just about everything else. ❑

"Pe

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Door to Door
Transportation
Included For
Most Areas!

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N(°°‘

PONTOONING • ARCHERY • POTTERY
POND AND LAKE • ARTS AND CRAFTS • DANCE
ATHLETICS • GYMNASTICS • PHOTOGRAPHY
NATURE PROGRAM • ANIMAL FARM • GO-KARTS
TENNIS • SWIMMING • FISHING • BOATING
SAILING • WATER SKIING • TUBING • COMPUTERS

CALL LORRAINE & ARNIE (248) 932-2123

Accredited by The American Camping Association

.

Our results
look impressive!

•Warm, friendly, family run since 1968
•Superb weight losses, exciting activities
•• Featured on 20/20 & The Sally Show
•Girls & Boys 7-17 • Young women 18-25

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@ta

MINE

134 Teatown Rd., Dept. WJ
Croton, NY 10520

Located in the beautiful
Catskill Mountains

800-292-CAMP
www.campshane.com

Birmingham Public Schools

.

Super Summer Day Camp

West Maple Elementary School

(Maple and Inkster Roads)

Session 1— June 29-July 17 (3 weeks)

(No class July 3)

For more information about
Exploration Summer Trograms,
call (781) 762-7400.

Session 2 — July 20-August 7 (3 weeks)

Registration will be in March

Detailed information will be available at area libraries
and school offices beginning March 2nd.

1/23
1998

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