An Aerie Summer
Providence Campus
Unlock your potential this June and August in Wheeler’s Aerie Summer Program where Wheeler’s signature “learning without limits” philosophy meets three high-impact weeks of discovery. Designed for the curious minds of highly motivated Middle and Upper School aged students, these small-group, week-long intensives transform the classroom into a hands-on laboratory. Whether you are deciphering the complexities of AI, exploring the art of podcasting, telling stories with the help of photography, or tackling mathematical theories and practices, you will work alongside expert Wheeler teachers in a high-energy, collaborative environment. Available during the weeks of June 15, June 22, and August 17 from 8:30 AM – 12:00 PM, these morning sessions are built for students who want to go deeper, think bigger, and spend some of their summer at the leading edge of their passions. Come build, write, record, and solve with us – wherever your curiosity leads, Aerie will help you soar.
Week 1: June 15-18 – $320
Ages: 12-17
Working in creative teams, students will tackle real-world development challenges to design a playable game concept. This course provides hands-on experience with the industry-standard Unreal Engine, professional animation software, and motion capture technology. By stepping into the roles of designers, technical artists, and world builders, students gain agency over their creative vision while developing the critical problem-solving and communication skills necessary for the 21st century. Previous experience in animation, world-building, storytelling, or game design is a plus.
Instructor: Travis Dumais teaches in Wheeler’s Upper and Middle Schools. He is the founder of the Next Lab at The Wheeler School, a creative space where students can explore science and storytelling projects. In his spare time, Travis writes electronic pop music and develops 3D videos using Unreal Engine.
Week 1: June 15-18 – $320
Ages: Rising 8th Graders
This course is designed for rising 8th grade students who are eager for a math challenge. This course introduces coordinate geometry as a way to study geometric ideas using numbers and graphs. Students learn how points, lines, and shapes can be represented on the coordinate plane and how algebra can be used to describe geometric relationships.
Topics include plotting points, finding distance and midpoint, calculating slope, and writing equations of lines. Students explore how graphs, tables, and equations represent the same relationships and practice moving between these representations.
Simple proofs are used throughout the course to help students understand why formulas and rules work. These proofs focus on logical reasoning rather than formal theorem writing—for example, explaining the distance formula using the Pythagorean Theorem or identifying four points on a graph as a square using the distance formula and slopes. Bring a laptop.
Prerequisites: Students should have a basic understanding of arithmetic, fractions, and integers, be comfortable with solving simple linear equations, and have some familiarity with graphing on the coordinate plane.
Instructor: Linda Leonard has been teaching middle school math for over 25 years. She currently teaches at Wheeler where she is also the Middle School Math Coordinator.
Week 1: June 15-18 – $320
Ages: 11-14
In this workshop, students will blend photography and writing to explore fiction, poetry, and visual storytelling in fun, imaginative ways. Each day brings a new creative challenge: inventing three stories from a single photo, building epic adventures through toy photography, telling a complete tale in eight photos, and taking photos to inspire short (often humorous) poems. Along the way, students will learn real photography fundamentals and writing skills and expand their view of what storytelling can be. The week ends with a publishing day, where students share their work with one another and create a portfolio of work to show off at home. Bring a laptop and a camera/phone camera if you have one. If you don’t have a camera/phone, Wheeler can provide a camera.
Instructor: Britt Page teaches 7th grade English at The Wheeler School. She has also taught a variety of Aerie and enrichment courses at Wheeler, including Photography Challenge, Create Your Own Comic, Board Game Design, and more.
Week 2: June 22-26 – $400
Ages: 13-17
Some stories are meant to be heard, not read, and over the course of a week, you’ll learn how to craft a podcast that truly connects with your listeners. Whether your interests lie in fiction, comedy, interviews, sports, or pop culture, we’ll explore how to hook your audience, structure compelling episodes, and write scripts that sound like you. You’ll collaborate with classmates and receive feedback as you develop your own original podcast concept. By the end of the week, you’ll have written and recorded a polished episode with a clear vision for a podcast that reflects your voice. Please bring a laptop.
Instructor: Abby Ringiewicz is an English teacher in Wheeler’s Upper School. She has also taught a variety of electives and Aerie courses, such as Modes of Journalism, Writing for Publication, and One Act Plays.
Week 2: June 22-26 – $400
Ages: 12-17
Discover the art and science of communicating with Large Language Models (LLMs) like Google Gemini. Inspired by leading research in prompt engineering, this hands-on course teaches you how to craft effective prompt patterns to code simple games, research programs, and create custom Gems. No prior coding experience required. Beyond technical execution, students will explore the ethical implications of AI, specifically addressing risks like bias and misinformation. Whether you are building personal projects or solving real-world problems, you will leave this course with the skills to maximize AI potential through creative and practical applications. Bring a laptop.
Instructor: Travis Dumais teaches in Wheeler’s Upper and Middle Schools. He is the founder of the Next Lab at The Wheeler School, a creative space where students can explore science and storytelling projects. In his spare time, Travis writes electronic pop music and develops 3D videos using Unreal Engine.
Week 3: August 17-21 – $400
Ages: Rising 8th Graders
This course is designed for rising 8th grade students who want to build confidence and momentum in math heading into the fall. This course provides a structured review of linear equations and systems with an emphasis on strengthening conceptual understanding and problem-solving skills. Students revisit how linear relationships are represented through equations, graphs, tables, and real-world situations, and practice making connections among these representations.
Topics include writing and solving linear equations, graphing lines, interpreting slope and intercepts, and solving systems of linear equations using graphing, substitution, and elimination. Students analyze and compare linear models and explain their reasoning using clear mathematical language.
The course is designed to reinforce essential skills, address common misconceptions, and build confidence in working with linear relationships, preparing students for continued success in algebra and related coursework. Bring a laptop.
Prerequisites: Students should be comfortable with arithmetic involving integers and fractions, have experience solving one-step and basic two-step equations, and possess prior exposure to graphing points and lines on the coordinate plane. Familiarity with basic algebraic notation and proportional reasoning is recommended.
Instructor: Linda Leonard has been teaching middle school math for over 25 years. She currently teaches at Wheeler where she is also the Middle School Math Coordinator.
Week 3: August 17-21 – $400
Ages: Rising 7th Graders
This course is designed for rising 7th grade students who want to build confidence and momentum in math heading into the fall. Students will get a focused review of key pre-algebra concepts—including fractions, decimals, positive and negative numbers, proportional reasoning, solving equations, and multi-step problem solving—through meaningful, relevant practice. Each day will blend traditional instruction with team challenges, math games, and logic puzzles that will keep students engaged and thinking critically. Bring a laptop.
Instructor: Eric Charlesworth is a long-time math instructor and math content creator who currently teaches in Wheeler’s Middle School.
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