Our Mission is for urban youth to explore Boston, inspire one another and engage their curiosity.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
CREATIVITY
Woodworking, art and building projects, cooking, old school games and puzzles—creative and purposeful play is what we do! Children are encouraged to explore, create, to try new things. While they walk from place to place, there are choices they get to make. With one counselor for six campers there are opportunities for breaking off into smaller groups to pursue other explorations.
FREEDOM, CHOICE & SPONTANEOUS PLAY
So much of a child’s free time is managed and directed by in-school and extracurricular activities. At Boston Explorers, children have time—and the choice—to play. Their imagination is the conduit to all forms of unstructured play and camp projects.
CHARACTER
Building character is an essential part of the camp program. It takes grit to persevere, to try new things and recover from a setback; emotional intelligence to gain support and alliances; self-control to maintain balance and confidence. The essential factor in Boston Explorers is the consistent opportunity for staff to have meaningful, critical conversations with children about their feelings, friendships and behavior. Active mentoring is a key role for staff.
HANDS-ON LEARNING
Using cooking utensils, building a charcoal cooking fire, holding a hammer, learning to use a ruler or straightedge and level are everyday activities. Our aim is to provide meaningful work applications—versatile and multifaceted tasks that have a lifelong impact.
EXERCISE
Children get vigorous exercise by rowing across Boston Harbor, walking to the T., biking through neighborhoods & climbing the hills on the Harbor Islands. Games of touch football, tag and hide-and-seek could break out at any time.
A note about our logo:
The Boston Explorers logo symbolizes the integration of the natural and physical elements of the city. It is our version of the Freedom Trail, with specific destinations and unexpected stops—a program that combines definite goals with room for spontaneity.
Inspiration
From Alphonse Litz, Founder:
Everything I know about woodworking and carpentry began with my father. He was the master of tools and hands-on experience and would often remind us that to learn anything one had to do it. For us, there was a lesson in everything. On family outings no monument, roadside marker, historic house, or nature trail went unobserved. I would draw on my father’s wisdom throughout my teaching career.
Not long ago, toward the end of his life, we uncovered a photograph of my dad when he was 12 years old. He is smiling broadly wearing a navy cap and uniform (bottom row, third from left). The caption reads “S.S.S. Explorer.” He always talked about traveling, about places he had been and destinations still to come, but little did I know that my father had been a bona fide explorer! It also reminds me that while we continue to invent education models and policies, my inspiration continues to be my Dad's tried-and-true approach: roll up your sleeves and learn something.
Press and Research
"Lessons from an Urban Day Camp: Program Features That Help Children Thrive"
Camping Magazine, 2014 January/February
Bob Ditter with Alphonse Litz
"Oh, Snap! This is a Job! The New Teen Leadership Program at Boston Explorers"
Camping Magazine, 2017 March/April
Ayanna Michel-Lord and Manny St. Vil with Bob Ditter
“Boston Explorers Helps Kids Explore Their Interests, and Their City” The Boston Sun, 2020 February
Seth Daniel
“Community Advisory Board Interview: Alphonse Litz” Northeastern City and Community Engagement, 2021 November