Homeschool Nature Program for Kids Youth School

Annual tuition $2340. Non-Refundable Enrollment Fee: $585, due upon registration. Remainder payable in three payments due September 1, Dec. 15, and March 15.

Scholarships If you require tuition assistance, we invite you to submit a Scholarship Application along with your application for Youth School (download a Scholarship Application in PDF format, complete it and mail it in).

The non-refundable enrollment fee is required to hold the place of all registrants, regardless of scholarship status. If, within two weeks of scholarship notification, scholarship applicants decide not to commit to the course, we will refund your fee in full. (This is the only situation where the enrollment fee is refundable.)

Tuition Assitance:
Your homeschooled child can receive valuable tuition assistance that can be applied toward costs at Youth School! More details

At the core of our approach to educating young people is our concept of "Passion-based learning." This is the idea that every one of us has special gifts to bring to the world, things that spark our passions in life.

Our school's fundamental goal is to awaken this spirit in our students, and to help them identify and pursue their gifts. We believe that the most effective learning happens when young people are pursuing what they love, and so truly desire to learn.

Equally important is our philosophy that the most effective learning happens when students figure things out "on their own."

In their efforts to do this, they are individually guided by mentors who strive to create experiences and opportunities for students to discover their own answers.

We call this method Coyote Mentoring, a technique that encourages creative thinking rather than providing answers, and results in much deeper learning. It also stimulates the growth of problem-solving skills, and stretches the students into greater self-sufficiency in their living and learning.

Sol Marie Doran is a Lead Instructor at the Thursday Coyotes (ages 10-12) and Friday Roots and Wings (ages 4-6) programs. In the summer, she also teaches at various teen and adult programs, including the Art of Mentoring. She has been working with children since 1997 and has been mentoring with the Wilderness Awareness School methodology since 2002.

She came to Wilderness Awareness School in 2004 from southern California, where she worked with Wilderness Youth Project, ran an early childhood outdoor program, and earned a B.S. in Ecology. She is finishing her last Kamana field pack (naturalist studies), is a 2-time Tracking Intensive graduate, has trained in herbalism at Ravencroft, and has studied since 2008 with Kim Scanlon on various arts, including modern cultural development, leadership, and emotions. Her personal interests also include yoga and ethnic dance. She is currently a graduate student in Clinical Somatic Psychology.

Andy Franjevic is our Facilities Manager and an instructor with the Youth School Foxes and Monthly Programs. He grew up in Ohio, where he spent his summer weekends at his grandparent's cabin by the lake.  He caught frogs and turtles with his brother and sisters and went fishing with his grandpa.  Later, he worked at a state park in Ohio for a couple of years as the Park Naturalist, where he was able to share his passion for nature with visitors and explore the park day and night.  In 2004, Andy moved to Washington to attend Wilderness Awareness School's Anake Outdoor School.  Since then he has completed his Bachelor's degree at the Evergreen State College with a project of exploring history and researching his ancestors. 

Richie Booth is an Instructor for the Thursday Coyotes (ages 10-12) and Friday Roots and Wings (ages 4-6) programs. He was born and raised in Yelm, WA. Spending his summers camping on the Deschutes River in Weyerhauser with his dad he developed a deep love for the forest. Working with youth at Camp Cispus during high school and college he realized his passion for working with kids. He has dedicated his life to reconnecting with nature through the practice of primitive skills, and helping both kids and adults to find their passions by sharing his with them.

Natalie Rivera-Esperance is an Instructor for Youth School Foxes and Monthly Programs. To compliment her love of people and nature, she earned a degree from the University of California at Santa Cruz in cultural anthropology and environmental studies. Before graduating, she knew her life's plan: to help people, especially children, fall in love with nature. Over the last six years this goal has led her to work with adults and children at several state parks and outdoor schools. Always craving more knowledge and deeper understandings, she studied permaculture and cultural mentoring at the Regenerative Design and Nature Awareness nine month intensive program. She is also a graduate of the Anake Outdoor School and Anake Leadership Program.