The Laboratory Schools will be shaking up a longstanding summer program, removing eighth grade and ninth student counselors, changing leadership and rebranding.
Adventure Kids, which has been running since 2001, traditionally enabled ninth graders to work as counselors and eighth graders as counselors-in-training, or CITs. Starting this summer, Lab will no longer offer those positions, relaunching the program as Lab Adventurers. Sophomores will still be invited to lead.
Thomas Burke, director of Lab’s family life programs, said that apart from the name and counselor changes, Lab Adventurers will continue to offer similar activities.
“Field trips, field days, group activities, and amazing staff will still be present this year for rising 3rd-8th graders,” he wrote in an email to the Midway. “There may be minor tinkering with activities and schedules (to align it with the traditional day camps that are part of my experience), but it will continue to have the same structure and plan on it being the fun, hands-on camp it has always been.”
Mr. Burke said that the counselor-in-training program is expected to return in the summer of 2026.
Meghan Janda, the previous director of Adventure Kids, said in an interview that she was proud of everything the program had achieved in its 24 years.
“It’s been a great family experience,” she said. “I’ve had the privilege of seeing how much it has impacted our community from our beloved campers to our family of remarkable AK Camp Counselors, teachers and support team. It really has been my heart.”
Ms. Janda added that the opportunities for Lab Adventurers are endless.
“The kids at Lab — they’re adventures! Those adventures will still happen for them,” she said. “It might be in a different way moving forward, but I am really grateful for the 20+ years of memories I have. I will forever be an Adventure Kid.”
