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The Children’s Exploration Organization (CEO) is a Caroline County-based nonprofit spearheaded by Angie Councell that provides group trips designed to be educational and accessible for local youngsters. The organization’s goal is to help children - particularly those who may not have the means to travel - experience new places, cultures, and historical sites.
Karine Ireland, a member of CEO who helps coordinate trips and support fundraising, described the organization as focused on “inspiring and empowering people…to explore the world beyond their immediate surroundings.” Trips are planned with a focus on immersing the participants in the culture of the place they are visiting. Some examples of their travels include Europe, Alaska, and the Caribbean Islands.
Ireland said travel helps people build independence and broaden their perspective. “It shows them that the world is bigger than their zip code and that they belong in it,” she said.
CEO members participate through two different options: one membership allows individuals to fundraise toward the cost of a trip, while another allows participants to pay for trips at a reduced group rate. Ireland said funding comes through “community fundraisers, donations, sponsorships, grants, and partnerships with local businesses and supporters.”
For some families, CEO provides encouragement to travel in ways they might not have otherwise pursued. Member Luisa Carlisle shared that her family joined because their autistic son enjoys trips, but they did not often travel on their own. She said CEO helped them explore new places and create lasting memories together. Carlisle said her son can now recognize major landmarks from their travels, “Now when my son sees the Eiffel Tower, he recognizes it and tells me what it is,” she said.
Both Ireland and Carlisle emphasized that CEO is open to new members and relies on community support. Carlisle said she hopes more Caroline County residents see CEO as “an opportunity to explore…to new knowledge, history, to beauty, to new experiences, to see other cultures and to experience it.”
