Press Releases
At Polaris Charter Academy, students aren’t just working in the classroom on projects. They go out into their communities, their city, their country, even across oceans to learn from the world. They bring in experts to show them how things work or share their experiences and perspectives. They explore. They think critically. They work to make a difference in the world around them. Polaris has many highlights from our Expeditionary Learning curriculum to share with you. Here are some of the ones we think Chicago needs to know about:
Read about Polaris’ work in the New York Times
September 12, 2016 …Schools affiliated with EL Education embed social purpose into the curriculum to try to make good use of this trait. At Polaris Charter Academy on Chicago’s West Side, seventh graders learning about the Second Amendment decided to start a campaign against gun violence in their neighborhood. They created four public-service announcements, which aired on television; published a book about peacemakers in their community; and presented their work to the mayor…
Polaris Hosts Voices for Change on May 7th at the Four Seasons
April 22, 2015—Voices for Change, Polaris’ 4th annual Spring Benefit, will feature the 7th grade work on podcasting during their expedition on effecting change in their community.
Polaris 8th Grader Awarded Daniel Murphy Scholarship
March 17, 2015—Carl Donnell to receive $100,000 in high school scholarship funding from the Daniel Murphy Scholarship Fund, a prestigious and competitive award granted to only 100 students in Chicago each year.
Polaris Graduates First 8th Grade Class In Its History
June 12, 2014—Polaris Charter Academy celebrated the graduation of its first class of eight grade students, totaling 48 students in two classes, on June 12th at George Westinghouse College Prep.
Polaris Charter Academy 3rd Annual Spring Benefit Raised over $55,000
May 13, 2014—Polaris Charter Academy hosted Celebrating the Journey on May 8th at in Chicago West Loop to support the K through 8th grade curriculum. The event raised over $55,000 net towards future expeditions, classroom support, and ensuring future Polaris graduates continue to succeed.
Polaris Students Travel to Birmingham, Alabama to Dine with the Foot Soldiers of the 1964 Children’s March
April 22, 2014—Polaris Charter Academy fifth and sixth grade students will travel 10 hours to Birmingham, Alabama on April 29th through May 2nd to meet with Civil Rights activists and their relatives and see historical Civil Rights monuments firsthand.
Four Polaris Students to Speak at the Deeper Learning Conference in San Diego, CA
March 27, 2014 – Keynote speakers who presented at the Expeditionary Learning Annual Conference in Atlanta, Georgia in October 2013 will accompany Ron Berger, Chief Academic Officer at EL, in his Keynote speech, presenting the Peacekeeper Project once more.
Chicago Civil Rights Historian Timuel Black to Visit Polaris Students
March 18, 2014 – Fifth graders interviewed revered Civil Rights historian Timuel Black to learn about his experiences in education, work towards equality, and relationships with renowned individuals like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Nat King Cole, and Harold Washington.