The Community Noise Lab at the Brown University School of Public Health is launching the Summer 2025 Environmental Explorers School. This free, self-paced, and online summer course is designed to introduce environmental science, promote community engagement, and expand the learning experiences of middle school students.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is there a preregistration?
There are only 100 seats available for the Summer 2025, to be spread across all public school or home school middle school students. By preregistering your child/children, you are "reserving" a seat and helping us to properly plan.
When will the program start and end?
The program will go live on June 9, 2025. This course is self-paced. Therefore, its end date will vary by explorer. Given that there are 25 modules, we anticipate that it will take between 4 - 6 weeks to complete the course.
Who is eligible to participate?
This program is open to any public or home-schooled middle school student in grades 5 - 8. Students who completed 8th grade and will be in the 9th grade in the fall of 2025 are also eligible. We are piloting this program this summer with particular emphasis on students living in Rhode Island and Mississippi. However, all are welcome. We have only 100 available slots.
How many students will you accept into the Environmental Explorers Program?
We are piloting this program this summer, therefore seats are limited. For now, we have only 100 available spots. It is our goal to be able to offer more seats after this summer.
What does this course entail?
There are 25 modules that introduce explorers to a variety of environmental health topics ranging from air pollution to water quality. With each topic, students will engage with a short video, a lecture, a quiz, and a community-based assignment. After each module is completed, explorers will receive a badge. After successful completition of the program, each explorer will receive a certificate of completion.
Are there any supplies needed?
The majority of supplies needed to complete the program will be provided to each explorer by Community Noise Lab. By particpating, you will also receive free copies of Community Noise Lab's activity books, which currently consists of three books on noise pollution, water quality, and visual pollution. Supplies can be mailed or picked up at a variety of locations. We will share these locations with you during registration.
This is a virtual course, will there be any requirements to meet in person?
No, this course is completly online. At the end of the course, we will have a virtual block party where we will all convene online to meet each other. There are several activities that will require you to engage with your community.
Who is an ideal explorer?
This course is ideal for middle school students interested in learning more about environmental health, public health, and community engagement. While each module will need to be completed indivdidually, we believe that this program would be great for summer enrichment programs where students can go through the course together. If you are running a program this summer, please reach out to us. We would love to accommodate your students.
When does registration begin?
Registration will open in April 2025. If your are interested in enrolling your child/children into this program, fill out the form below. In April, we will reach out to you with a link so that your child/children can register.
Who can I contact if I have more questions?
If you have any questions, you can reach Dr. Erica Walker, Assistant Professor of Epidemiology at the Brown University School of Public Health. Her email is: erica_walker@brown.edu. To learn more about community noise lab, you can visit their website here.