District 102 Summer Programming Soars

5,4,3,2,1…District 102’s Summer S.O.A.R. Talent Development Program blasted off with one of its annual classes, American Girl Doll School, that was facilitated by Geri Pasieka from June 18-21 at Park Junior High School in LaGrange Park for girls entering grades 2-5.

Each year this class focuses on a different doll and plunges into the time period that her story is from and explores her interests. This year the class focused on the 2018 "Girl of the Year" Luciana Vega with her inspiring ambition of being the first person on Mars.

The class built a rocket ship, poured over books and projects about our galaxy, learned fun facts about gravity and astronaut challenges, and even made their own astronaut food.

There were also 25 stations set up to explore and enjoy. These stations consisted of everything from forming a solar system to designing and making clothes for their dolls. There were also clay, paint, jewelry making and many interesting stations in between. The class also explored another planet set up down the hall with its different surfaces and its rovers that resembled animals.

“The class is designed to show young girls that they can do anything,” Pasieka said. “They can be artists, activists in saving our planet, designers, or scientists. They have so many choices. They realize girls can do it all!"

In previous years some of the activities the class delved into were walking into Victorian times, learning about Native American culture, stepping into China, exploring the Amazon’s rainforests, discovering Hawaii and becoming an advocate for our ocean’s issues.

District 102’s Summer Talent Development Program, coordinated by Randy Lange, Ph.D., runs this summer through August 2 with many unique and creative classes.

Photo Caption 1: Caitlin Davis and Rosie Bezanis create jewelry and hair beading for their American Girl Doll.

Photo Caption 2: Ally D’Apice proudly displaying her own fashion designs.

Photo Caption 3: Mary Clare Smith and Elly Ahlm construct their rocket ship for their Mars trip.

Photo Caption 4: Elly Ahlm creating her vision of a space station out of homemade clay.

Photo Caption 5: Sofia Stremski choosing and preparing a fabric for her own dress design for her doll.

Photo Caption 6: Evie D’Apice composing a scrapbook and journal.