Character Development
We believe that clear thinking leads to good decisions, good decisions lead to the right habits, the right habits forge character, and character determines destiny.
We judge our progress through objective, anonymous surveys open to our entire community that show how well we are delivering on our promises.
We have Guides instead of Teachers.
We have Studios instead of classrooms.
We have Portfolios and Exhibitions instead of Grades.
We have Contracts and Covenants instead of Rules.
We are Self-Paced instead of Teacher-Paced (No Homework).
Our students do real world apprenticeships.
Our Learning Environment
Taking queues from the rural environment we are located , we use our surroundings to inspire our creativity. We understand the link between a Healthy Body = Healthy Mind. Taking time to spend time outside being active or reflecting weather permitting. We will focus on practicing and building great habits that will build Strong Minds and Bodies.
Leveraging Greatness Locally and Faraway
Wherever possible we will seek out people that have excelled at a skill or talent and have them share and interact with our Hero’s. From music lessons and acting to zoom calls with CEOs, Farmers, Community Leaders. Our goal will always be to provide inspiring and engaging opportunities to our Hero’s that are timely and relevant to the world we live in.
MEASURING MASTERY
Young heroes celebrate the mastery of tools, skills and character by earning badges, assembling portfolios and taking part in public exhibitions.
- Parents use badges to track academic progress in Core Skills like reading, writing, math and spelling and character development in “Learn to Be” Badges.
- Portfolios and the Journey Tracker (our internal goal-setting and tracking software) captures rough drafts, photos, and other creative work.
- Public exhibitions at the end of most Quests allow young heroes to present work to experts, customers or the public for a real world test.
Setting Targets & Ensuring Progress
Heroes set daily S.M.A.R.T. Goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Tough) for what they would like to accomplish each day. As heroes decide upon their goals, they think through whether or not they meet these criteria. Students make session-long goals as well as daily goals to ensure progress towards their long-term targets.
Quests (Project-based Learning)
Interactive Group Challenges
Quests are a five to six-week-long series of socially interactive group challenges, connected by a narrative and leading to an exhibition of the completed work. Quests are designed to deliver 21st century skills, including learning how to apply Core Skills to develop something useful to an individual hero, a community or civil society.
An important part of Quests is that almost all have some way to measure and track outcomes in a way that mirrors as closely as possible the real world. For example, if building a bridge, the costs are calculated based on the time and materials required to build the bridge; the benefits are calculated based on the span of the bridge, how much weight it will bear and for how long; and the aesthetics can be based on feedback from citizens or a panel of experts.
