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Brook Forest encourages students to explore more
Fourth grader Nick Schopp does a flip on the extreme air bungee ride. Brook Forest School hosted Exploremore Day at the school on Friday. | Jon Langham~for Sun-Times Media
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Updated: August 6, 2012 2:16AM
A few days before summer vacation, Brook Forest Elementary students, staff and parents celebrated the 24th annual Exploremore Day in and around the Oak Brook campus.
Students chose from 49 different class offerings, which included favorites such as fishing, canoeing, scrapbooking, Minute to Win It, yoga, CSI: Brook Forest, Lego speedway and NASA Blast Off.
In the waterway behind the school, third grader William Knapp and his classmates baited hooks and reeled in some very hungry fish.
Knapp became hooked on the sport last year after fishing with his great uncle. He caught several bluegills while handing out advice to his fellow students.
“I caught a big mouth bass last year,” Knapp said. “(My great uncle) was fishing with us, and ever since, I wanted to do fishing.”
Parent volunteer Rich Byrne was in his eighth Exploremore Day leading the student anglers and said it was one of the best years yet. He had a variety of baits available, but the nightcrawlers did the trick.
“We had a student catch a 16-inch bass today and we caught a total of 26 fish last session,” Byrne said. “(The worm) is the only thing that works.”
A little further down river, fifth graders Zachary Griffith and Andrew Doromal had just finished canoeing and were tying up their boat to the shore.
“It’s the best,” Doromal said of the trip on the water. “It got easier to paddle toward the end.”
“We worked together pretty well,” Griffith said of his co-captain.
Inside the school, fourth grader Joseph Mondschean was preparing a plate of goodies inside the“Fear Factor Fun Food” classroom.
Mondschean topped off his plate of eyes (tomatoes) with blood (French dressing), finger nails (green peppers), worms (turkey bologna) and boogers (relish).
“I put everything on there,” Mondschean said. “I cut and stabbed the eyes. I just wanted to make it look cool.”
On the other side of the school, fourth grader Sarah Jaber, new to Brook Forest, took part in “Workin’ at the Car Wash,” helping out a few of her teachers with a free car wash. Jaber also signed up for scrapbooking, Minute to Win It and Capture the Flag.
“It was hard to pick just five,” Jaber said of the long list of choices. “We didn’t have a day like this at my old school. It’s a lot of fun.”
Students were treated to a pizza lunch, awards assembly and a performance by the Jesse White Tumblers to end the day.
