Then eXplorations, Now eXpressions

Me, Skylar, Deondre, and Vince
Some of my boys from Teton eXplorations '14

Last night, Matt McGee, my lead faculty of Teton eXplorations and eXpressions in Nature and Art from my Summer Capstone at the Teton Science Schools texted me letting me know that several of my students from my graduate year were coming back to attend some camps. The summer camps at the Kelly Campus were having their Celebrations of Learning and my students had asked Matt to invite me to see their hard work from the summer. I was beyond honored and excited to attend! Skylar, Vince, and Deondre from Teton eXplorations were back for the second summer in a row and attending eXpressions in Nature and Art.

Being back on the Kelly Campus was definitely weird. I think it was because I was not teaching this time and it was weird seeing the new grads take lead on the programs I had worked on last year. But really quickly that feeling of being weird subsided and was overtaken with joy, pride, and being impressed. It was super awesome to see this year's grad students take what my group had done with eXpressions and 1) improve upon what we had done, 2) compare and contrast my summer to theirs, and 3) see how this grad group made eXpressions their own. Not to mention seeing Sylar, Vince, and Deondre was beyond awesome. These boys have grown up (literally in height and maturity) in the spark of one year. I was beyond proud of them and so happy to see them. 

It was really cool to talk to them about this year's camp, what they learned, what they did, and some of their highlights from their second time around at the Kelly Campus. It was just a really great gallery walk for eXpressions. Those students are incredibly talented and incredibly amazing beings.

Pretty excited to see how eXpressions will change for future programs and very excited to see how my former students will continue to grow and do wonderful things.

TheChristyBel

Vince Presenting the Communal Project

The Barred Owl Communal Project

The Boys' Art Exhibits