Volo’s mission is to help young people develop as whole people to become confident and contributing citizens in an equitable, sustainable, and unpredictable future. To do that, Volo’s model is comprised of three core principles: personal agency, nature immersion, and learning community.
A simple hike evolves into a biology lesson, observing ecosystems in action. Mathematics comes alive through geometric patterns in snowflakes, while history lessons resonate viscerally at historical sites of the peoples who stewarded the land on which we learn.
Our approach breaks the mold of conventional schooling, weaving exploration, play, and emergence to ignite curiosity and empower each young person to lead their own pace and direction. This blend builds a learning environment where creativity flourishes alongside academic rigor. We believe the joy of discovery is the essence of education.
The modern “factory model” of schooling was developed long ago with an emphasis on order, obedience, and standardization. Typical schooling was made to predominately use the banking method of education– designed to “deposit” information into students with memorization of facts and figures. The structure of the classroom, pedagogy, and learning philosophy were all designed within the context of the times.
The world has changed. Today’s young people will face entirely new complexities in an unpredictable future – ecologically, economically, and socio-politically. A reimagined model of education is necessary. We must enable students to understand the world around them and the talents within them so that they can become active, compassionate citizens. Further, young people must confidently respond to challenges and innovate solutions that will give way to a peaceful, vibrant, and regenerative future for all.
Volo’s founders are accomplished professionals who have spent three years creating a blueprint for re-imagined education that draws lessons and inspiration from a variety of learning theories and research-proven methods. Volo has been designed from the ground up to adapt to a changing world while realizing the creative potential of young people to lead our collective future.
Volo is focused on helping young people develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that they need to understand the world around them. Abundant research has demonstrated that being in nature boosts academic performance, personal development, and confidence.
While many learning programs strive to bring natural objects into the classroom, no others in our geographical region engage learners in as much time in the natural world as Volo does. We expect to spend 60-70% of our time in nature.
Volo believes that all children are innately creatively gifted. Giving learners abundant time to be in nature and deepen their connections with natural rhythms, cycles, and ways of being helps young people discover and cultivate their own unique talents.
We believe that it truly does take a village to holistically raise young people. Volo is pioneering in its explicit call for a learning community in ways that few if any, other educational centers do. Volo will have mixed-age learning groups, community projects, outdoor group adventures, and opportunities to plan, lead, and present to the learning community.
The development of personal agency is a critical prerequisite to forming skills for learning, continuous growth, and leadership. Agency – or the ability to make choices — is inherent to humans, yet requires development. Volo provides support for making choices.
It is no small thing to become a participative citizen in democracy; it requires problem-solving, synthesizing evidence, self-assertion, compromise, keeping contracts, collaboration, and much more. Being an active and compassionate citizen-leader requires courage and importantly – practice.
Volo integrates self-knowing, empowerment, and choice in all aspects of young people’s education and community governance. No other educational center in the Mountain West region provides this sort of personal agency opportunity for students.
Structurally, Volo is formed and functions as a cooperative in which participating members each have a governance voice and may direct community leadership through committees. All families are invited to take an active role in the learning community, which might include mentoring, coaching, administration, or special projects depending on skills, experience, and resources.
For example, young people will meet with their families, Volo facilitators, and mentors to create personalized learning plans. Each young person will have a voice in choosing their curriculum, projects, and adventures. Volo’s governance model for the community includes youth leadership, which means that young people will help guide decisions about programs, community expectations, and large-group service projects. Volo’s board includes pioneers in this area!