• We envision a world in which all children in the community are cherished and have experiences that help them to thrive in relationships with their family, community, and the natural world.

  • Cool Learning Experience nurtures the well-being of the whole child and their healthy connections to family, community and nature through dynamic, hands-on programs that combine place-based, environmentally focused, and socially relevant experiences.

  • Since its inception, CLE has amplified, celebrated, and centered the rich experiences, voices, and epistemologies of communities traditionally dehumanized and devalued in educational content and their lived realities in American society and beyond.

  • Early in 2008, two pastors of the First Baptist Church of Waukegan noted how multiple factors combined to undermine healthy child development, forming all-too-familiar destructive patterns resistant to change. With one being a wilderness guide, the other an educator and former scientist, their shared insights led them to use a different approach to combat the dire future being faced by many children. 

    Cool Learning Experience was founded that summer as a learning program which addressed the child as a whole; with specific consideration given to the entire life context in which a child was being raised. In our view, education is only complete when a child has developed a positive, harmonious relationship with self, peers, family, community and nature.

TOGETHER WE are

EDUCATing CHILDREN

We use innovative techniques to provide dynamic, hands-on learning that combines place-based, environmentally focused, and socially relevant experiences.

  • Provide STEAM-focused (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math), student-centered instruction

  • Integrate digital and traditional humanities including poetry, art, music, history and geography

  • Blend collaborative and individual learning activities based on real-world experiences

CELEBRATing NATURE

We embrace nature through outdoor experiences, stewardship projects, nature-based curricula, and the implementation of sustainability best practices. 

  • Use the outdoors to develop environmental literacies and life-long nature appreciation

  • Include unstructured outdoor play that promotes student choice

  • Cultivate sustainability best practices including the 7 R’s, waste-free lunch, and care for the CLE garden

INSPIRing WELL-BEING

We nurture children’s social, emotional, spiritual, and physical health with a balance of thoughtful, structured activities and free play.

  • Teach cultural and social-emotional lessons, activities, and practices grounded in compassion and empathy

  • Center nature as a friendly, accessible, healing, and reflective space

  • Promote healthy lifestyles with Fun Fridays, “Kids in the Kitchen”, tennis, lacrosse, and afternoons at Waukegan beach

engaging FAMILIES

We embrace parent input to shape learning experiences.

  • Offer affordable full-day programs during (most) out-of-school time

  • Strengthen parent partnerships and involvement through on-site volunteering opportunities

  • Develop evening programs centered on cultural, environmental, and educational topics for families to participate in and learn from

Championing Futures

We coordinate a youth career readiness program and faculty-informed policies and procedures for organizational growth and sustainability.

  • Prepare youth for the future with life skill instruction, guest speakers, career shadows, and leadership training

  • Facilitate student design, development and public presentation of career-focused culminating projects

  • Foster professional learning communities to review program implementation

Cultivating leaders

We promote critical youth empowerment connected to GROcal social issues and provide faculty and staff opportunities for personal and professional growth.

  • Equip young leaders with advocacy skills to address ecological challenges within their local communities

  • Provide faculty and staff with professional development and personalized coaching

  • Build Confidence, Communication, Creativity, and Critical thinking skills

BUILDing COMMUNITY

We nurture a sense of belonging within the CLE family and through a rich network of partners and collaborators.

  • Connect with local, regional, and national organizations that align with our instructional content

  • Program eco-excursions, service learning, and career preparation with community partners

  • Embrace broad community participation in the annual Celebration of Our Learning (COOL)

 
 

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