The Exploring Program
Exploring is part of the Learning for Life career education program for
young men and women who are 14 (and have completed the eighth grade) or 15 through 20
years old.
Exploring's purpose is to provide experiences to help young people mature
and to prepare them to become responsible and caring adults. Explorers are ready to
investigate the meaning of interdependence in their personal relationships and
communities.
Exploring is based on a unique and dynamic relationship between youth and
the organizations in their communities. Local community organizations initiate an Explorer
post by matching their people and program resources to the interests of young people in
the community. The result is a program of activities that helps youth pursue their special
interests, grow, and develop.
Explorer posts can specialize in a variety of career skills.Exploring
programs are based on five areas of emphasis: career opportunities, life skills, service
learning, character education, and leadership experience.
Goals
Young adults involved in Exploring will
 | Gain practical knowledge of and experience in a career |
| Engage in a program of activities centered on career opportunities, life skills, service
learning, character education, and leadership experience to encourage the development of
the whole person |
| Experience positive leadership from adult and youth leaders and be given opportunities
to take on leadership roles |
| Have a chance to learn and grow in a supportive, caring, and enjoyable environment |
Methods
The methods of Exploring have been carefully chosen to meet the needs of
young adults.
| Voluntary association between youth and adults. Because Exploring is voluntary,
youth are receptive to new ideas, experiences, and relationships. For the Explorer, these
relationships provide a connection to new ways of thinking and acting as well as a new
identity as a responsible young adult. |
| Ethical decision making. Exploring asks young people to be responsible for
themselves, for a program of activities and experiences, and for other people, thereby
providing numerous opportunities for youth to make effective and ethical decisions. These
opportunities are enhanced by the influence of capable adults and structured activities. |
| Group activities. Exploring activities are interdependent group experiences. Success
depends on the cooperation of all. |
| Recognition of achievement. Recognition might come through formal awards, but it
also is achieved through the acknowledgment by peers and adults of a young person 's
competence and abilities. |
| Democratic process. Explorer posts provide exposure to democratic ideals and skills
that are needed throughout life. |
| Curiosity, exploration, and adventure. Curiosity is encouraged and a sense of
exploration and adventure is developed through new experiences that provide opportunities
for youth to acquire new skills and participate in action-oriented activities. |
Post Specialties
Every Explorer post specializes in a specific career program area. More
than 100 different specialties have been organized, ranging from accounting to zoology.
Some specialty programs, such as the following, have grown to include a national
committee, activities, and staff support.
Arts and Humanities.
The Arts and Humanities specialty area includes posts that are organized
around interests in arts and hobbies, actor/actress, commercial artist, drama/theater,
fashion designer/model/buyer, interior designer/decorator, jeweler/watchmaker, and movie
director/producer.
Aviation.
The Aviation specialty encompasses a range of programs, including
maintenance, operations, construction, flight attendants, airport management, and
aerospace. The Federal Aviation Administration supports this growth, along with aviation
organizations, unions, and industries.
Business.
Through the Business specialty area, young adults become prepared for many
types of careers, from accounting to financial planning. Many posts organize their program
around knowledge of business planning and practices in addition to career preparation.
Communications.
This specialty is endorsed by the Broadcast Education Association,
International Association of Business Communicators, National Association of Broadcasters,
National Press Photographers Association Inc. , Public Relations Society of America, and
Women in Communications. The Exploring program can serve as an effective outreach program
that exposes high school students to careers in communications and public relations.
Engineering.
Many national engineering societies endorse this specialty area of
Exploring. Its goal is to promote post programs that open and expand Explorers'
understanding of the many opportunities in engineering and technology.
Law and Government.
The American Bar Association and other organizations support the high
interest of many youth in law or government participation through Exploring. Law Day
activities, mock trials, and other law-related activities provide firsthand experience in
America's legal and court system.
Fire and Emergency Services.
The International Association of Fire Chiefs and other organizations
support the high interest in fire and emergency services through Exploring. Posts are
organized around interests in fire/emergency service, civil defense, first aid/ambulance
corps, fire fighter/rescue service, paramedic/EMT, and volunteer firemen.
Law Enforcement.
This specialty is endorsed by the International Association of Chiefs of
Police and the National Sheriff's Association and is helped by other national law
enforcement organizations and industries. Posts can provide assistance in crime prevention
and traffic control.
Medical and Health Careers.
The American Medical Association and other national health organizations
support the establishment of posts in hospitals, clinics, medical centers, schools, and
other healthcare organizations. These posts render valuable community service and give
members an insight into a variety of career opportunities.
Science.
The Science specialty area includes posts that are organized around
interests in general science, anthropology, archaeology, astronaut, astronomy,
biochemistry, biology, chemistry, computers/programming, conservationist/ecologist,
environmental science, wildlife/fist manager, and zoologists/zoo director.
Skilled Trades.
The Skilled Trades specialty area includes posts that are organized around
interests in auto repair, cosmetology, electrical, carpentry, and construction, to name a
few.
Social Services.
The Social Services area includes posts that are organized around
interests in social service, adult care attendant, childcare attendant, drug/alcohol
counselor, exercise attendant, funeral director, home economist, librarian, museum
curator, school counselor, social worker, teacher, volunteer worker, youth organization
volunteer, and disabled career professional.
Others.
In addition to the above, other popular Explorer post specialties include
conservation, computers, music, rescue, radio-TV, architecture, photography, and
journalism.
Ethics in Action
An important goal of Exploring is to help young adults be responsible and
caring people, both now and in the future. Exploring uses "character education
activities" to help young adults develop the ability to make responsible choices that
reflect their concern for what is at risk and for the people involved. Because a character
education activity is a problem-solving situation, leaders expect young adults to use
empathy, invention, and selection when they think through their position and work toward a
solution.
Post Activities
What an Explorer post does is limited only by the imagination and
involvement of its leaders—build a glider, make an electric car, produce a play,
conduct a mock trial, or teach disabled people to swim. Posts across the country today are
experiencing all these adventures and many more. All that is needed are concerned adults
who are willing to share a little bit of themselves with today's youth—tomorrow's
citizens.
Getting Your Post Up and Running
Organizing posts is easy for an organization to do if it follows these
steps:
- Conduct an annual survey in community high schools to determine student's career and
hobby interests.
- Call a meeting of key people within an organization, with an Exploring representative in
attendance. This representative explains special-interest Exploring, describes key
volunteer positions, and plans the recruiting of adult leaders.
- Have a meeting between the post committee and Advisors and the Exploring representative.
Explain the responsibilities of adult leaders. The Exploring representative also discusses
program ideas and helps develop a one-year program, which is reviewed and adopted.
- Have the organization's top executive write a personal letter to each young adult
selected from the survey, inviting the youths and their parents to attend an
organizational meeting. Follow up this letter with a personal invitation from a member of
the organization to each prospective Explorer.
- Have the first meeting, involving young adults, the post committee, and selected
consultants. Make plans for the installation of elected youth officers.
What Youth Want
Exploring research has revealed these major points:
| High school students are interested in careers/vocations. |
| Teenagers want a broader experience that supplements career information with practical,
"hands-on" experience and is tailored to their cultural backgrounds. |
| Teenagers want to belong to a group that provides a safe place from which they can
address the issues that affect them as they grow and develop. These issues include
becoming more independent, developing social relationships, undergoing psychological
changes, reaching sexual maturity, and re-evaluating values. |
Program Support
Learning for Life provides Explorer posts with the following support:
| Professional and volunteer staff to help the post succeed |
| Recruiting, training, and guiding of a volunteer district/division support staff
organization |
| An annual Explorer program planning conference |
| An annual career interest survey of all high schools in the community |
| Activity planning and the use of Learning for Life facilities, such as camps |
Learning for Life Web Site— www.learning-for-life.org
Visit the Learning for Life Web site for ideas on how your business can connect with
today's Explorers.
Liability Insurance for Participating Organizations
General liability insurance covers the participating organization on a primary basis for
any responsibility they may have on Exploring-related matters without asking the
participating organization or its own insurance to be involved.
Adult and Youth Leader Training
Learning for Life provides basic and advanced adult leader training sessions along with an
annual post leader workshop, quarterly Advisor meetings, and an annual Explorer program
planning conference.
National awards, activities, and scholarships
Explorer Awards
| Career Achievement Award Program—awards in the following Exploring career
clusters: arts and humanities, aviation, business, communications, engineering, fire and
emergency services, health, law and government, law enforcement, science, skilled trades,
and social services. |
| Council Young American Award—for any young person between the ages of 15-25. |
| Congressional Award—for youth between the ages of 14-23 |
| Law Enforcement Exploring Proficiency Awards Program—13 components |
| Law Enforcement Post, DEA Drug Abuse Prevention Service Award |
| Law Enforcement Post ISCPP Community Crime Prevention Award |
| Leadership Award—for youth and adults |
| Russell C. Hill Award—for individuals and organizations in character education |
| William H. Spurgeon III Award—for individuals and organizations in Exploring |
Explorer Activities That Enhance Explorer's Participation Include
| Annual Aviation Explorer Base Camp and Service Corps at Oshkosh Air Venture Fly-In |
| Annual National Engineering and Technology Explorer Academy |
| Biennial National Fire/Emergency Services Explorer Conference |
| Annual National Law and Government Explorer Mock Trial Competition |
| Biennial National Law Enforcement Explorer Leadership Conference |
| Biennial National Law Enforcement Explorer Leadership Academies |
| Character Education Activities CD—26 components |
| Challenge Initiative Games, Explorer Leader Handbook |
| Cooperative Initiative Games, Explorer Leader Handbook |
| Learning for Life Leadership Workshop Series CD—16 components |
Explorer Scholarships
| AFL-CIO Skilled Trades Explorer $1, 000 Scholarship |
| American Veterinary Medical Association $500 Cash Award |
| Capt. James T. Regan Memorial Law Enforcement Explorer $500 Scholarships (two awarded) |
| Comair Aviation Explorer $2, 000 Scholarships (10 awarded) |
| DEA Drug Prevention Service Award, $1, 000 Recognition |
| Floyd Boring Law Enforcement Explorer $1, 000 Scholarship |
| International Association of Fire Chiefs Foundation Fire Service Explorer $500
Scholarship |
| Learning Express Scholar of Distinction Fire/Emergency Services Explorer $2, 500
Scholarship |
| Learning Express Scholar of Distinction Law Enforcement Explorer $2, 500 Scholarship |
| National Young American Award $5, 000 Grant |
| Sheryl A. Horak Memorial Law Enforcement Explorer $1, 000 Scholarship |
| Silver Wings Aviation Explorer $1, 000 Scholarships (two awarded) |
| Sporty's Pilot Shop Aviation Explorer $1, 000 Scholarship |
| U. S. Federal Investigators Law Enforcement Explorer $500 Service Award |
For more information
Exploring Program, Learning for Life National Office, P. O. Box 152079,
Irving, TX 75015-2079, Phone: 972-580-2433 Fax: 972-580-2502 |
