A community where kids build practical skills that help them to become capable young adults.
Students take on meaningful work that challenges them to think, create, and grow. Along the way they develop craftsmanship, meaningful friendships, resilience, and the confidence that grows through authentic experience.
Students ages 12-17
gather once each week with experienced mentors, to tackle ambitious projects that challenge both their hands and minds. Throughout the year they’ll learn how to design and build structures and take part in transformative and restorative land projects. These aren’t classroom exercises, they’re meaningful projects with lasting impact.
Learning Outcomes
Students certainly learn to design, build, and bring ideas to fruition in community. But through thoughtful leadership, they also learn to:
• communicate effectively with teammates
• plan ahead
• adapt when plans change
• follow through
• accept constructive feedback
• share their own input and ideas
• make decisions in a group setting
They will carry those skills with them long after the projects are finished.
Guided by mentors who actually do the work.
Students are guided by mentors who have spent years building, designing, creating, and teaching- not simply reading or dreaming about it.
John brings more than 20 years of professional building experience, guiding students through authentic projects while teaching craftsmanship, thoughtful planning, practical skills and problem-solving. Amanda Jo, a National Geographic Certified Educator and Certified Permaculture Designer, helps students connect hands-on work with ecological thinking and a deeper understanding of the ‘why’ behind the projects.
Together, they mentor students from the first sketch to the final build, creating an environment where curiosity, perseverance, collaboration, and responsibility naturally grow.
Ready to learn more? Complete an Interest Application to schedule a visit and learn more about the projects, the community, and whether the program is the right fit for your family.
Growing alongside people who know you.
Throughout the year students work alongside the same group of peers, learning to make decisions, celebrate successes, and work through challenges as a team.
Monthly Community Days for all our enrolled Florida Wild School families extend those friendships beyond the weekly class through kayaking adventures, campouts, hikes, seasonal celebrations, and shared experiences with the entire Wild School community.
Over time, classmates become teammates, and teammates often become lifelong friends.
Community Day
Sky Group Schedule
Mondays • 10:00 AM–2:30 PM • September–May
Each week combines thoughtful instruction with meaningful hands-on work.
Enrolled families are also invited to gather throughout the year for monthly Community Days.
Staying Connected
We’ve invested in a custom Florida Wild School mobile app to make communication simple and strengthen our community throughout the year. Families can access the calendar, receive announcements, view class photos, message educators, and connect with enrolled families- all in one place.
Continuing to build something extraordinary.
Support from the VELA Founder Network is helping us expand our outdoor classroom, create even more opportunities for meaningful hands-on projects, and continue investing in an environment where students can do work that matters.
The years between childhood and adulthood matter.
They are a time to discover strengths.
To contribute.
To make mistakes that become lessons.
To build perseverance that doesn’t come from praise, but from experience.
If you’re looking for a place where your teen will be challenged, supported, and trusted with meaningful work, we’d love to meet your family.
Families begin by completing an application, followed by an in-person Information Appointment where we’ll explore the learning environment, answer questions, and thoughtfully determine together whether Florida Wild School is the right fit.
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