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    Save Your Spot Now for Summer 2027!

    Summer 2026 Application is Open! Enroll Now.

    Ages 12–14 • Day or Residential • Wellesley, MA

    Immersive EXPLO summer programs for middle schoolers

    Try more, be more, and find your spark. Our two-week residential or day pre high school summer programs are for ages 12–14 (rising grades 7-9). Join us on Wellesley College’s campus—just outside Boston. Have an unforgettable summer where you can be all you.

    EXPLO Friends at Wellesley

    Life at Wellesley College (near Boston)

    • 500‑acre campus with studios, fields, and a lakeside backdrop
    • Day or residential options with full menus of evening + weekend activities
    • Easy access to Greater Boston museums, harbor, sports, and attractions
    • Designed specifically for middle schoolers

     

    Programs that spark

    EXPLO 360°
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    Design your program

    Choose from 40+ options—Engineering, Architecture, Forensics, Comedy, and more. See all you can be. 

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    Hands-on every day

    Try studios, labs, and collaborations with real‑world professionals. When you do more, you learn more.

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    Try more, be more

    Gain the freedom to explore. Make new friends from around the world. Get excited by discovery—and build confidence before high school.

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    Meet real vets

    Go behind the scenes at clinics and wildlife centers. See how teams care for animals, ask questions, and learn how curiosity becomes a career.

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    Animal care in action

    Practice hands-on skills—vital signs, bandaging, basic triage, and lab techniques—using models and simulations designed for middle schoolers. When you do more, you learn more.

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    Discover your path

    Explore the many roles in veterinary medicine and animal science—small animal, wildlife, research, and beyond. Build confidence as you find what fits.

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    Try real rotations

    Sample different areas of healthcare through demos and simulations—emergency response, diagnostics, and patient intake—guided by medical professionals.

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    Collab on cases

    Work with your group to solve patient issues. Practice observation, decision-making, and communication—the skills that help care teams thrive.

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    See yourself in healthcare

    Meet people in a range of roles and learn how they got there. Build habits and confidence that make high school (and your next steps) feel exciting and possible.

    An age that matters

    We built this summer program for middle schoolers specifically for ages 12-14. We get that you're figuring out who you want to be—and the more you experiment, the more you'll know. Discover the world of people, places, ideas, and you.

    Days built by you

    Join a glow stick party. See a Red Sox game. Experience whale watching. Try comedy. Play soccer (football) with friends from around the country—and world. Have a museum day. And so much more in EXPLO summer programs for middle schoolers.

    Workshops and electives

    Workshops + Electives

    Get more choices. Pick from options across arts, STEM, design, cooking, and leadership.

    Community and events

    Community + Events

    Afternoon activities and clubs, evening events and showcases.

    Taking charge

    Taking Charge

    You pick everything. From academic enrichment to daily choices on how to connect, unwind, and manage your time.

    Weekend adventures

    Weekend Adventures

    Boston Excursions and big group trips.

    People who connect

    Faculty + Staff
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    Connor Dumont

    Award-winning math teacher + EXPLO Instructor

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    Kalpana Acharya, PhD

    Neuroscience and Biology researcher + EXPLO instructor

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    Caitlin Fuller

    Director of Teaching and Learning

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    Katie Stack Morgan, PhD

    Research Scientist, NASA Jet Propulsion Lab, Mars 2020 Rover Mission | Forbes 30 Under 30

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    Salvador Gomez

    Climate Resilience and Youth Empowerment Activist Founder, Light and Hope for Puerto Rico 

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    Celia Rose Gooding

    Actor + Singer | Grammy Award Winner, Tony Award Nominee 

    From MIT startup to discovery powerhouse

    There’s a reason our alumni go on to found startups like Instagram and nonprofits for climate resilience, win Grammy and Tony awards, become NASA scientists, and more.

    EXPLO Summer History Timeline

    Why EXPLO

    Why EXPLO collage

    Frequently Asked Questions

    EXPLO summer programs for middle schoolers are for ages 12–14 (rising grades 7–9).

    Wellesley College, just outside Boston, MA (day and residential).

    EXPLO residential and day summer programs for middle schoolers are the same; residential adds dorm life, evenings, and weekend adventures.

    Our application opens on October 15, 2025 for Summer 2026.  Enroll Now.

    EXPLO is a blend of both. You’ll engage in hands-on learning, explore new subjects, and participate in fun social activities and weekend trips.

    Use the summer to try new things, meet new people, and build skills that school doesn’t always cover. It’s the perfect time to explore what really excites you—and build confidence for high school. 

    That depends on what you’re looking for—but programs with a long history, real-world experiences, and standout alumni are definitely worth your time.

    Absolutely. They show colleges that you’re curious, motivated, and not afraid to go after new experiences outside the classroom. And summer programs for middle schoolers set you up for a more confident, engaged high school experience.