Oak Park Education Foundation STEAM Programs and BASE Camp

Oak Park Education Network STEAM Programs and BASE Camp include in-school and out-of-school activities such as the Art Start Program, where D97 students have hands-on creative experiences in the classroom with community artists. Students can work with professional sculptors, painters, dancers, musicians, storytellers, and fabric artists, and participate in programs like the 5th Grade VEX IQ/Gears Program, the Science Alliance Program, the Spoken Word Program and after-school club, and the VEX Robotics after school program. Activities in these programs include working with VEX IQ/Gears and other robotic programs, dissecting sheep’s eyes, learning about diseased cells, engaging with a falcon, and writing and sharing poems that reflect students’ own experiences, interests, and opinions.

• Ages: 5–14 years old
• Price: Programs are free for all D97 students during the school year, and there is a generous scholarship program for summer camps.

Oak Park Education Network states that its mission is to bring hands-on STEAM opportunities to D97 youth that inspire a lifelong love of learning, and it describes its programs as emphasizing hands-on learning experiences that are engaging, inclusive, and inspirational. The organization is formerly known as the Oak Park Education Foundation (OPEF) and is a privately funded non-profit that brings artists, scientists, and tech experts into Oak Park’s public K–8 schools through in-school programming and summer camps. It partners with D97 librarians to deliver the 5th Grade VEX IQ/Gears Program as part of the 5th grade elementary library learning center’s curriculum and is governed and managed by a volunteer Board of Directors.

The leadership and coordination team includes Executive Director Latonia Baker; Programs Director Tamika Djondo; Operations Coordinator Susan Raphael; Program Coordinator Renee Barnett; Out of School Programs Coordinator Elle Morton; Brooks Robotics VEX Program Coordinator and Brooks Design Teacher Brian Shinners; Julian Robotics VEX Program Coordinators and Julian teachers Tim Walsh and Jason Morelle; Spoken Word Program Coordinators and language arts teachers Miles Lee and Bessie Santos; and 5th Grade VEX IQ Program Coordinator and retired D97 teacher librarian Sharon Pearce. The Board of Directors includes President Jason Cascarino, Vice-President Valencia Williams, Treasurer J. Luke Alberts, Secretary Aubrey Parker, and board members Erin Cottingham, Julie Dauksas, Jennifer Howat, Amy Jefferson, Jung Kim, Eboney Lofton, Katy Loster, Brennan McMurry, David Osta, Luke Staszak, and Cheryl Sullivan. Oak Park Education Network notes that it has been inspiring D97 kids annually for over 30 years and that VEX Robotics is described as an award-winning after school program.

Staff credentials include Executive Director Latonia Baker’s more than 18 years of professional experience in education programs and operations, her previous role as Regional Operations Manager for iD Tech Camps managing STEAM programs for children ages 7–18, her work as an adjunct professor at the American Academy of Art, and her experience running a digital design firm focused on 3D computer models and graphics for architecture and construction businesses. Programs Director Tamika Djondo holds an MBA from Stanford University and has a background in nonprofit leadership, program management, and student equity, with experience designing and leading programs that expand access to high-quality education. Program Coordinator Renee Barnett received a Bachelor of Music in Music Therapy from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh and works as a music therapist and music teacher with the Chicago Center for Music Education (ChiME), and Out of School Programs Coordinator Elle Morton received a BA from Washington University in St. Louis and an MA from George Washington University and is a pediatric speech-language pathologist.

Oak Park Education Network states that its goal is to serve every student in D97 through in-school programs and provide each child with hands-on STEAM education, and that its mission is strengthened by values including equity and inclusion, a sense of belonging, inspiration, real-world connections, innovation, community engagement, and fun. The organization reports that it invests in cutting-edge technology and top-notch coaching and is committed to enhancing the VEX Robotics program every year, and that VEX Robotics uses the excitement of competitive sports to engage students in science, technology, engineering, and math. A local D97 parent testimonial states, “We love OPEN Programs. My kids are so excited each summer for BASE Camp and learn so much! They have also enjoyed Spoken Word programs during the school day.”

Last updated May 26, 2026.