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We’re proud to bring the exciting enrichment program, Challenge Island® to North Carolina! Right now activities are being planned for elementary and middle school students in Cary, Apex and Holly Springs. We offer after school enrichment, science clubs, homeschool programs, birthday parties and in-school field trips (read more below).
What is Challenge Island? The program began back around 2003,developed by parenting author, speaker and award-winning educator, Sharon Duke Estroff for her students in Atlanta, GA. Several years ago she began expanding to other schools, as news of its success in stimulating children’s love of learning continued to spread by word-of-mouth. Built on unique challenge-based activities designed to foster critical and creative thinking skills, problem solving methodology, and core STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) principles in children ages 3-13+. Its one-of-a-kind programming is endlessly fun and exciting while firmly grounded in cutting edge educational thought and national science, math, and language arts standards.
What happens in a session? At the start of every Challenge Island class, camp day, field trip, or birthday party, the teacher introduces the day’s challenge, subtly bringing in key curriculum-based concepts and helping the children make real-life connections. Then, after dividing up into collaborative “tribes,” the children eagerly open their treasure chests to see the materials they may use to complete the challenge at hand.
For example, at Shark Tooth Island’s Blow Cart Beach, kids are tasked with building a wind-blown vehicle using only straws, paper cups, index cards, round candies, and duct tape. Tribes follow the steps of the CI totem pole (otherwise known as the scientific process), as they work to perfect their designs. At the tribal drum’s call, tribes bring their creations to the Challenge Island Race Track for the big showdown – or should we say BLOWdown. The final products are as individual as the children who design them and all kinds of successes are celebrated and recognized!
Every session of Challenge Island takes place on a different thematic island filled with unique activities revolving around the central theme. Each island comes with an exciting giveaway keepsake (i.e. a Shark Tooth Necklace for Shark Tooth Island) and students return again and again so they can enjoy and explore ever corner of every island in the Challenge Island experience.
Where do I find a Challenge Island program? There are several options.
Challenge Island includes dozens of activities, many of which are ideal for birthday parties; click to read more about arranging a Challenge Island birthday party for your 5-13 year old.
We are working with local schools in Cary, Apex and Holly Springs to make the 6-13 week programs available as once-a-week after school enrichment programs, science club programs, camp activities, homeschool programs. If you are interested in having Challenge Island come to your school or camp, please call us at 919.285.1597 or fill out the Contact Form and let us know.
Individual challenges make excellent in-school field trips. We are working with schools and PTAs to bring exciting, affordable programming in to complement and support existing lessons. If you are interested in bringing a field trip to your students, please call us at 919.285.1597