Boston Explorers was founded in 2011 as an opportunity for children of Boston to explore their city.
We are committed to high quality, out-of-school learning experiences for young people based on the belief that all children should have full and equitable access to our city and its rich history, culture, and commercial and natural resources.
Our summer camp was the cornerstone, combining the best of camp—creative, spontaneous play and hands-on activities—with the sights and sounds of the city. Explorers in our summer camp do four things every day:
Explore Boston
Make things with their hands
Have fun
Be kind to everyone
Since then, our programs have expanded to include an annual spring exploration week and several leadership opportunities for teens, but our mission remains the same: for urban youth to explore Boston, inspire one another and engage their curiosity.
Join us in providing enriching programs for Boston’s youth by showing your support.
About our Founder
Alphonse Litz
Alphonse was an elementary public school educator and administrator in Concord, Massachusetts, and Boston for more than 20 years. A central underpinning in both his teaching and administrative roles was student-centered, project-based curriculum. He promoted and developed programs based on the philosophy that children learn best through experience. Boston Explorers was a natural extension of his wide-ranging interest in Boston history and the city’s natural resources. The camp was founded on the belief that kids come to “own a place” by experiencing it. He continues his commitment to social justice and equity in our community. Alphonse loves riding his bike around the city, and Spectacle Island is his favorite Boston exploration.
As a classroom teacher and through Boston Explorers, he always made space for a woodworking shop. He credits his father with fostering his love and skill for woodworking and carpentry as he was the master of tools and hands-on experience. He would often remind Alphonse that to learn anything one had to do it. For the Litz family, there was a lesson in everything. On family outings no monument, roadside marker, historic house, or nature trail went unobserved. Alphonse would draw on his father’s wisdom throughout his teaching career.
Toward the end of his father’s life, Alphonse uncovered a photograph of his dad at 12 years old, smiling broadly and wearing a cap and uniform. Little did Alphonse know that his father had been a bona fide explorer! His inspiration continues to be his dad's tried-and-true approach: roll up your sleeves and learn something.
