The SAFE BASE summer program kicked off Tuesday morning at Iola Elementary School.
The program combines education and adventure for any USD 257 student in kindergarten through eighth grade, including home-schooled students. There is no charge to attend. 
This year’s weekly field trips include some favorite activities from past years. All of the trip destinations were requested by students, voted on by students and ultimately determined by the students, Director Angela Henry noted.
They include:
On Friday, a trip to Lego-Land and SeaLife for kindergarten through third grade, and a trip to Lego-Land and Zip KC, a ziplining adventure, for students in fourth through eighth grade.
On June 8, a trip to the Safari Museum and Maring Aquatic Center, in Chanute.
On June 15, a trip to Urban Air Trampoline Park in Overland Park.
On June 22, a trip to RockRiver Rapids Water Park in Derby.
For all field trips, participants will return by 5 p.m. Parents and guardians are welcome. All costs are covered.
Except for this week, SAFE BASE activities begin at 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Mondays and conclude on Thursdays with an all-day field trip. This week, the program began Tuesday and ends Friday because of the Memorial Day holiday.
Students may attend for one week, all four weeks or any combination of weeks. To attend that week’s field trip, a student must attend the first three days of the week. 
The first three days of the week, students are fed a free breakfast and lunch. On field trip days, parents or guardians are responsible for feeding their student breakfast and providing their own sack lunch and drink.
Other noteworthy SAFE BASE summer programs include:
The week of June 5, students in fourth through eighth grade will learn CPR.
On the final regular day, K-State Research and Extension will teach a sewing class for students in third through eighth grades from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. There is a limit of 12 participants.
