Explorations Programs
Nurturing Curiosity
Open Connections empowers young people and adults to create the life they want, full of purpose and fulfillment.
The Explorations Program meets on Wednesdays and provides youth an opportunity to spend significant time DIVING DEEP into topics mostly of THEIR CHOICE. Once a year youth provide feedback on the offerings that they would like to explore and every effort is made to schedule topics that honor each youth’s interests. Regardless of the topics chosen, each youth will have ample opportunities to develop their intrapersonal (knowing yourself), interpersonal (communication and collaboration), and impersonal skills (problem solving, critical thinking).
The Explorations Program day itself consists of a morning topic and an afternoon topic separated by time to eat lunch, socialize, enjoy the outdoors, and play a game or two. Two topic areas are explored every eight weeks and typically utilize a variety of campus resources including the Makerspace, Woodshop, kitchens, Art Studio, and our 28-acre grounds. By the end of the year youth will have explored eight different offerings providing EXPOSURE to a variety of topics, tools, and activities. Finally, because we recognize the richness and value that VERTICAL AGE GROUPS provide, each program spans multiple years.
Each Explorations program is scaled to meet the developmental, social, and academic needs of the youth, with Explorations A serving as a building block for the more complex content and increased self-direction and accountability for teens in Explorations B.
Explorations offerings vary from year to year. Below is a sampling of offerings:
- Collaborative, Large-scale Rube Goldberg Design and Construction
- Cooking from the Fall Harvest
- Puppets and Masks
- Decisions, Decisions, Debate
- Exploring the Properties of Matter
- Film Making
- OC Campus as Artistic Muse
- Woodshop
- Designing and Implementing the OC Mudder
- Clay and Ceramics
- Exploring Robotics with Lego Mindstorms
- History through Pop Culture
- Sewing and Handwork
Basic guidelines for Explorations A & B, by September, participants should:
-
Be comfortable navigating independently around campus.
-
Be open to exploring any topic offered whether chosen or not.
-
Be able to see themselves and their peers as mentors.
-
Be willing to stretch themselves and develop new skills.
-
Be willing to balance the needs/wishes of the individual with the needs/wishes of the group.
To truly *THRIVE* in Explorations A & B, participants are:
-
Eager to explore any topic offered whether chosen or not.
-
See both “failures” and “successes” in a positive light.
-
Interested in continuing projects at home, when possible.
-
Comfortable being in a state of not knowing what to do.
Program OVERVIEW for 2026-27
|
Program
|
Ages
|
Days
|
Time
|
Tuition
|
|
4 – 10
|
M, T, W and/or Th
(attend 1-4 days) |
9:00am – 2:30pm
|
$4,860/day, annually
(range is $1,000-$4,860*) |
|
|
Open Group
(two day program) |
7 – 9
|
T and Th
|
9:00am – 2:30pm
|
$9,720/annually
(range is $2,000 – $9,720*) |
|
Group 1
(two day program) |
9 – 11
|
T and Th
|
9:00am – 2:30pm
|
$9,720/annually
(range is $2,000 – $9,720*) |
|
10 – 14
|
M
|
9:00am – 2:30pm
|
$4,860 annually
(range is $1,000-$4,860*) |
|
|
Group 2
(two day program) |
11 – 13
|
T and Th
|
9:00am – 2:30pm
|
$9,720/annually
(range is $2,000 – $9,720*) |
|
Group 3
(two day program) |
13 – 15
|
T and Th
|
9:00am – 2:30pm
|
$9,720/annually
(range is $2,000 – $9,720*) |
|
15 – 18
|
T and Th
|
9:00am – 3:30pm
|
$10,300/annually
(range is $2,000 – $10,300*) |
|
|
9 – 12
|
W
|
9:00am – 2:30 pm
|
$4,860annually
(range is $1,000-$4,860*) |
|
|
12 – 18
|
W
|
9:00am – 2:30 pm
|
$4,860 annually
(range is $1,000-$4,860*) |
* Typical tuition range based on demonstrated financial need and available funding.
Copy of Program by Open Connections
WHAT OUR COMMUNITY HAS TO SAY:
“I am grateful beyond measure, and without words to adequately express how deeply I have appreciated all that each and every one of you have brought to our lives, in your countless and unique ways.”
– Kelly, OC Alum Parent and OC Facilitator
“I feel like I learn things faster because of how I am naturally curious. OC’s encouragement to pursue your natural curiosity is a big part of learning.”
– Garrett, OC Alum
“I find that the skills I have learned throughout my time at Open Connections and as a homeschooler are valuable and I will continue to use them for years to come. I appreciate that I have the freedom to choose what I want to focus on learning, and I feel like I have a lot of control over how I want my life to go because of that level of freedom.”
– Eva, OC Alum
“The model of Partnership Education suits our family’s needs beautifully. We appreciate the people, resources, and meaningful experiences that are available to our young people. OC continues to make our vision for a purposeful education a reality, and that’s a dream come true us. We can’t imagine anything better.”
– Lizzie, OC Parent
“Open Connections has introduced us to such a wide variety of ideas, experiences and people that we would have missed out on otherwise. We feel grateful for each opportunity OC has provided for our family!”
– Heather, OC Parent
“I love OC, and I like Choice the most! I love drawing and reading and making graphic novels. Homeschooling is fun.”
– Søren, OC Youth
“What do I love most? Being free! I love being outside so much. And I get to learn about snakes! Homeschooling is covering everything and it is making it fun, and we are learning more this way. I love OC, especially Thursdays and Tuesdays.”
– Silas, OC Youth
“We are constantly exploring new things. I like that there is structure to our learning but that can change depending on what the young people want.”
– Ollie, OC Youth
“OC is such a special place and differs from other learning environments in so many ways! One aspect of OC that I have always appreciated is how much OC values mutual respect. Facilitators do not look down on the young people, no matter what age they are, but instead treat them as equals.”
– Hannah, OC Alum
“Because it is such a small community, we become so connected to each other. There is always someone to interact with; another kid to play with or an adult to have a conversation. OC is small and that makes it a tight knit community. Learning together in a Group…, we become friends quickly, we connect and everyone is accepted. We are all in this together.”
– Lily, OC Youth
“OC provided a built-in support system as we started our homeschooling journey.”
– Ros, OC Parent
“Being able to explore what I was truly interested in at OC was important as I discovered both myself and—down the road—what I wanted to do as a career.”
– Teaghan, Alumna