About Our Voyagers
As students entering grades 6 and 7, Voyagers are on the cusp of adolescence. Like Pioneers, they respond well to structured environments and clear supervision. But as older children, Voyagers have a different set of needs, which we take care to address at every turn.
Our Students Talk
Gathering on the Quad one afternoon, a group of Voyagers got together to talk about the staff, the courses, the trips, the friends — and everything else they love about Explo:
Meet the students in our Voyager Roundtable.
Growing Learners
As learners, Voyagers are becoming interested not only in the "how" of learning, but also in the "why." While they still do best in a hands-on learning environment, they are beginning to be capable of more abstract thinking and are better able to discuss their discoveries. In our Voyager courses and activities, we encourage students to bring their own opinions into discussions and challenge them to make connections between what they are learning and other aspects of their lives.
Expanding Independence
Voyagers are beginning to assert their independence more than our younger students. As a group, they are becoming less adult-oriented and more conscious of their relationships with their peers. Correspondingly, our supervision of this age-group is subtler than it is with Pioneers. While we still keep an eye on their hygiene and nutrition, we respect the greater capabilities of this age group and grant them a little more freedom. For instance, Voyagers have later bed times and more free time in the evenings than Pioneers.
Friends + Fun
While we give Voyagers extra space to pursue their independence and build peer relationships, our staff members still hold them to high standards of conduct. Bullying is not allowed at EXPLO, and students are expected to treat others at all times with honesty, civility, and respect.
The result is that EXPLO at St. Mark's is a safe, exciting, and fun learning environment that is filled with choice and adventure. We give Voyagers the structure they need to focus positively on their growth and development, and at the same time give them enough freedom to help them discover themselves more deeply as students and people.
