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At the Harvard Ed Portal in Allston, young daredevil Luke Scanlon dives into a creative exercise during the American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) workshop for first- and second-graders. Stephanie Mitchell/Harvard Staff Photographer
Campus & Community
Summer explorers
Harvard Ed Portal program offers fun, skill-building activities for local students
They whipped up salsa while learning the science of cooking, repaired bicycles to enhance sustainability, programmed robots, penned their own poems, played soccer, and exercised critical thinking skills by evaluating arguments. For the fourth year, Harvard’s Summer Explorations series helped some 100 local students in grades 1-10 stay engaged and sharp over the school break as they picked up new skills in free weeklong workshops at the Ed Portal in Allston.
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A.R.T.’s class features improv games, creative play techniques, storytelling, and craft projects. Instructor James DiSandro (center) plays with an enthusiastic group, including Will Croteau (from left), Luke Scanlon, Rae Ruggiero, Kieran Bligh, and Alexandra Friar.
Stephanie Mitchell/Harvard Staff Photographer
The kids pay close attention as A.R.T. instructor Bella Cavicuhi leads an exercise; Will Croteau selects a costume.
Photos by Stephanie Mitchell/Harvard Staff Photographer
Michaella Chung teaches a poetry class.
Rose Lincoln/Harvard Staff Photographer
Budding poets: Luke Scanlon (from left), Kieran Bligh, Aiden Kiley, and Kaio Marques. Kaio stands at the blackboard by teacher Michaella Chung.
Photos by Rose Lincoln/Harvard Staff Photographer
Students in grades six to eight repair and recycle bicycles through the Hands-on Sustainability workshop. Here Nicolas Bautista replaces a tire with Gamal Smith of CommonWheels.org of Allston, a nonprofit bicycle cooperative.
Rose Lincoln/Harvard Staff Photographer
Oskar Monahan learns the ABC’s of bicycle repair; Patrick Herber keenly observes the handiwork of Adi Philson of CommonWheels.
Rose Lincoln/Harvard Staff Photographer
Sara Berndt (standing) guides students John Henry (from left), Kelsey Henry, and Sara Dechantsreiter in the 3D printing program.
Stephanie Mitchell/Harvard Staff Photographer
Oskar Monahan (left) and Eva Lynch are enthralled by 3D printing; a student in a critical thinking course ponders an exercise.
Photos by Stephanie Mitchell (left) and Rose Lincoln/Harvard Staff Photographers
Marion Mosman, reflected in Claragh Scanlon’s laptop screen, is assisted by instructor Sharon Jason; Nathan Hill seems mesmerized by the robot he has programmed to draw with his iPad.
Photos by Jon Chase/Harvard Staff Photographer
Abigail Hill, 13, of Brighton shows off her soccer moves in Harvard Stadium. Libby Cartagena (center) tours the Harvard Museum of Natural History.
Photos by Rose Lincoln (left) and Stephanie Mitchell/Harvard Staff Photographers
Addison Rich (left) and Olivia Pappas explore some of the wonders at the Harvard Museum of Natural History.
Stephanie Mitchell/Harvard Staff Photographer
Students chop parsley, part of their special salsa recipe, during the Science of Cooking program.
Stephanie Mitchell/Harvard Staff Photographer
Ed Kohl (center) learns a helping of science, math, recipe-reading, nutrition, and more in the cooking workshop.
Stephanie Mitchell/Harvard Staff Photographer
