We need the vibrancy of our young people, now more than ever.
We need their light.
We need their creativity.
We need their courage.
Our young people cannot do this alone.
The challenges we face are far too great.
They need those in power to partner with them,
and to act with greater courage, compassion, and creativity.
Education must bring us alive, not deaden us. At Springhouse, we are an intergenerational learning community, working with our young people to cultivate the love and vitality the world actually needs.
The youth carry a magic that is desperately needed. It is the community’s responsibility to invite it forward.
Our 7th-12th grade program is rooted in community & place, and relationship is at the heart of all that we do. We cultivate the vitality within to be of clear and compassionate service to a world in need.
Centered in vitality, Springhouse’s educational approach is unique. We draw primarily on living systems principles to create vibrant, rigorous, and creative programs for teens. Our approach values wholeness, sustainability, emergence, depth, and growth. Though we are innovative today, the way we structure learning is also ancient and has been practiced in cultures around the world.
Growing up can be disorienting, especially when transitions from one developmental stage into the next goes unmarked or even unnoticed. Our coming of age programs prepare young people, and their parents, for the transitions that lie ahead. We work towards building the skills needed for the transition between childhood and adolescence through our Tides and Ridgelines programs, and our Blue Ridge Passage trip focuses on the tasks of adolescence, preparing for young adulthood.
We are committed to helping our young people grow into who they came here to be, and honor the potency and gifts of each developmental stage. We need a generation that is rooted and empowered, that can be caretakers of themselves, their communities, and the Earth.
Tides & Ridgelines
Tides and Ridgelines lay the groundwork for the upcoming transition from childhood to adolescence, and help both young people and their parents navigate the challenges and gifts of puberty. These programs are held outdoors and bring together boys (Ridgelines) and girls (Tides) and their fathers, mothers, grandparents, or other significant adults in their life. These programs are infused with the magic of fire, ritual, song, vulnerability, and the beauty of the Earth.
Blue Ridge Passage
The Blue Ridge Passage is a co-ed, week-long backpacking trip with a focus on leadership and personal discovery taking place, this year, in the beautiful Shenandoah National Park. Through strenuous hiking, solo time in the wilderness, ritual, and connection with peers and guides, participants have the potential for a truly transformational experience.