Welcome EXPLO Families Grades 8-10

Welcome EXPLO Families Grades 8-10

Welcome to EXPLO!

In just a few days, you will have the chance to dive into EXPLO Online. In this letter, I’ll share a few strategies to make the most of your experience with us, as well as important instructions regarding how to access content in the program. EXPLO is no stranger to innovative learning. We’ve provided transformative experiences to tens of thousands of people from all around the world since 1977. Both in-person and online, we believe that we can build dynamic, safe spaces where you can make meaningful decisions about how to spend your time, confidently find your own voice, and begin unlocking your full potential. I’m proud of what we have created for you here: an online community built on a foundation of fun, where you’ll meet new people, stretch your creativity, and learn with joy and purpose.

I hope that you are as excited to participate in our online community as we were to develop it.

Before you jump into EXPLO Online, I’d like to encourage you to consider three ways to use your time in our community most effectively. Commit to your course and your teammates Of course, we want you to show up on time every day, but I also encourage you to do much more than be physically present. EXPLO Online courses have small class sizes for a reason: we want to ensure your voice is heard and that your participation impacts the experience for everybody. Think of your classmates as your team and know that they depend on your investment in this experience. Ask questions. Share your opinion. Listen to new perspectives. Take advantage of daily out-of-class extension opportunities. Ignite your curiosity because we know that the very best learning experiences are those that you (and your team) completely immerse yourselves in. Meet new people EXPLO Online attracts friendly students from all over the world who will likely be eager to learn more about you and bond over shared interests. See this summer as an opportunity

to get to know some people outside of your own bubble. Through these connections, you’ll gain a broader understanding of the world and you may make some new friends along the way. Try something new Be bold. With over 24 hours of live programming each week, EXPLO Online will provide you with plenty to stay busy. We don’t expect most students to spend their entire day glued to the screen, but I strongly encourage you to explore activities beyond your courses. Each week is full of choices: play group board games, learn new skills, hear from fascinating speakers, and engage in meaningful discussions with your peers. I’m certain you’ll find options that are familiar and fun, but I also suggest you pick a few things each week that you’re not quite sure about. The stakes are low; if you don’t like something, you don’t have to do it again. But, there’s real value in trying something new — you may end up really enjoying it, and either way, you’ll learn more about yourself.

Keep those things in mind and I expect this summer with EXPLO will be a blast.

How to Participate Be sure you’ve reviewed the Handbook for Students that provides an overview of our expectations for your participation this summer. Since your actions will impact others in our community, it’s important we’re all on the same page. Joining Your Course Joining your course is easy. Several days before your course starts, you will receive an email invitation to join your Google Classroom. Watch this video for information on how to log in for the first time and change your username to hide your last name. On the first day of your course, have your Google Classroom open in your browser and simply log into the EXPLO Online dashboard for the Zoom link to meet the rest of your class. If you’ve never used Zoom before, please review this document ahead of time.

Optional Activities As I noted above, you’ll find much more than courses at EXPLO Online. Participating in our optional activities is where so much of the fun will happen this summer. We’ve put details about everything you can explore into an EXPLO Online Student Site. On the site, you will find the weekly schedule, descriptions of all of our events, galleries of your peers’ contributions, and other information that will make navigating EXPLO Online easier.

You’ll find a variety of formats for activities at EXPLO Online:

● Clubs : Sign up to participate in a club that will meet two or three times throughout the week. Clubs are facilitated by our EXPLO staff and will give you a chance to explore a particular topic with the same group of people over multiple days. Clubs typically meet for 45 minutes. ● Skill Session s: Explore our library of videos where EXPLO instructors show off some of their skills and offer instructions for trying the skills yourself. Each week, three skill sessions will also have a live follow-up session. Sign up, watch the video, try the new technique or skill, and then join the live online session to share your experiences and hear from other students. Skill session discussions typically meet for 45 minutes. You can find our library of videos here. ● Visiting Faculty Speaker Series : Attend a webinar-style series featuring trailblazing experts who will share what they’re passionate about with our EXPLO audience. There will usually be an opportunity for Q&A at the end of each 45-minute session. You can find a schedule of upcoming speakers here. ● Activities : Join in online board games, creativity challenges, group exercise classes, Jackbox games, trivia nights, perspective-shifting discussions, and much more. Activities are facilitated by EXPLO staff and typically run for 45 minutes. ● The Daily Gathering : Join us daily for a 15-minute rundown of the day and a sneak peek at upcoming events for later in the week. You’ll stay informed of all that’s going on at EXPLO Online and probably hear a few groan-worthy jokes along the way. To participate in any of the optional activities above, all you need to do is head to your EXPLO Online dashboard and browse through the upcoming events. For anything you’re interested in attending, simply click “Sign Up”. That’s it! You’ll see the event appear on your schedule, and we’ll look forward to seeing you there. Feel free to sign up for as many events as you’d like, though please only do so if you plan to attend.

*Note that for most of our activities, you must sign up by 5:00 PM EDT the evening before it takes place, so I encourage you to plan ahead.

I appreciate that you’ve chosen to spend some time with us at EXPLO Online this summer and am eager to see you make the most of this opportunity. I hope that no matter how many weeks you spend with us, you find that the activities, events, courses, and people of EXPLO help you see the world differently. I hope that you see yourself a little differently too and that you find ways to incorporate your new skills, interests, and knowledge throughout the coming year.

Have a wonderful time exploring the world with us at EXPLO Online!

Warmly, Elliot Targum Head, EXPLO Online Grades 8-10