School may be out during the summer, but that’s no reason for learning to take a vacation! Parents who want to encourage physical activity, intellectual curiosity and community service in their kids will have lots of options to choose from at the annual Summer Opportunities Fair at John Burroughs School. This year’s event, held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Jan. 26, features countless rewarding adventures focused on the outdoors, sports, travel, the arts, volunteerism and more. The fair is open to the public, and admission is free.
Plenty of summer camp and club activities are available locally, but the event also showcases opportunities outside the St. Louis area. Chad Olcott, director of Apogee Adventures in Brunswick, Maine, says his organization offers coed, guided, small group programs that send teens and preteens to various destinations in the U.S. and overseas. Depending on their age and interests, students can choose trips and programs of different lengths that focus on athletics, art, community service and more.
“We have three main goals for our participants,” Olcott says. “We want to show them how wonderful the world can be, give them a hunger for adventure and beautiful places, and help them explore creative processes like photography and art.” Among the choices are long-distance cycling trips, Spanish-language trips and community service programs in countries where volunteer help is needed. Olcott says teens can enrich their lives by learning about the rainforest firsthand, helping out at a wildlife refuge and immersing themselves in cultures they weren’t familiar with before. “The biggest benefit of our programs is that they allow kids to shine as individuals while feeling supported by peers and leaders,” he notes. Whatever subject they choose, participants stand to gain open minds, long-lasting friendships and a strong commitment to the planet, he says.
Amy Barnett, founder of St. Louis-based Kids Who K.A.R.E. Camp, says her organization also instills a love of helping others. It’s a full-day, week-long program for students age 7 to 14, and its mission is to get kids excited about the rewards of volunteering. “K.A.R.E. stands for kindness, action, responsibility and education,” Barnett explains. “Each year, we introduce students to several local nonprofits and have field trips focusing on subjects like animals, literacy and the environment. Every day brings something new and different.” Participants plant trees and gardens for charitable organizations, clean up parks, work with shelter pets and collect food for those in need, among many other things. The organization partners with about 70 local nonprofits and offers junior camp counselor training as well.
At the end of each session, students lead fundraising efforts and donate the proceeds to the nonprofits they have served. “Our hope is that young people will feel energized and inspired for a life of leadership and service,” Barnett says.
>> The Summer Opportunities Fair is sponsored by John Burroughs School, MICDS and Whitfield School. For more information, visit summeropportunitiesfair.org. If you can’t attend the Jan. 26 event, check out the website’s Virtual Fair Feb. 1 through Sept. 1.
