Rolling enrollment open. Courses prorated.
Explore now.Is your teen ready to start building the real-world skills they will actually need after high school? Adulting ‘N Thriving is not your average life skills course. Designed for neurodivergent teens, this course connects the dots between who they are and where they’re going through self-discovery, personal development, and practical tools for living a meaningful life. Students explore their values, build customized executive function systems, and develop real-world routines that stick. Whether they’re imagining their first steps into adulthood or already planning for college and work, this is the course that meets them where they are.
Adulting 'N Thriving is not your average life skills course -- it's an immersive journey into self-discovery, personal development, and the essential tools for living a meaningful life. Designed for neurodivergent teens and young adults, this course supports learners at every stage of transition, whether you're imagining your first steps into adulthood or actively navigating college, work, or life beyond high school.
Together, we'll explore what it means to live intentionally in a world that often moves too fast for deep thought. We'll slow down and ask big questions: What do I value? What kind of life do I want to build? What systems do I need to support that vision?
Through Ikigai mapping, introspective exercises, passion inventories, and value-based reflection, students begin to uncover who they are, and who they're becoming.
Once we know our why, we create customized executive function systems: organization tools, task management strategies, goal-setting methods, and real-world routines to stay on track without burnout.
We tackle the practical knowledge everyone needs but few are ever taught: navigating transitions, building social and advocacy skills, understanding time and money, and preparing for college or career with confidence.
Vision-casting and creating your personal legend. Passion and values exploration. Executive function skills like organization, self-awareness, planning, and advocacy. Study habits and notetaking strategies. Navigating college systems and support. Communication and social navigation. Financial literacy and personal budgeting. Independent living and responsibility. And thriving emotionally and socially as a neurodivergent young adult.
Whether students are preparing for college, a gap year, or their first job, Adulting 'N Thriving gives them the tools, confidence, and clarity to move forward with intention. This is the go-to course for learners who want to feel empowered, not overwhelmed, by the path ahead. Join us to design a life you love, and build the skills to live it well.
For gifted and 2e kids, finding peers who understand them can feel impossible. This course puts your child in a room with kids who think like they do, led by a mentor who creates space for genuine connection. Parents tell us this is the first time their child has had friends who truly get them.
Social skills built through forced interaction rarely stick. This course builds them naturally through shared interests and a mentor who models healthy communication. Parents see their kids become more comfortable in group settings, more willing to speak up, and more confident navigating relationships.
YSA is a UC-registered online publisher and WASC-accredited Supplementary Education Center, which means our courses can count toward official college credit requirements. State schools can recognize the courses your student takes here, adding real legitimacy to your homeschooling journey or building on top of your student's existing transcript. That unlocks two ways to enroll: For Credit -- Your student earns official, accredited credit toward their transcript. For-credit students complete weekly assignments that build toward their transcript grade. Outside-of-class work ranges from 1-2 hours per week. Perfect for families who want documentation that reflects what their child is actually capable of -- to show the world how brilliant they are. For Enrichment -- Your student takes the very same course purely for the love of learning. No grades, no outside-of-class work, no credit attached. Just the content, the community, and the growth. Same course. Same mentor. Same experience in class. You choose what fits your family.
If you homeschool, this works seamlessly. If your student attends another school full time, we create a report card and transcript that we share with you, and you share with the school. It is up to your primary school to accept it and add it to your student's official transcript.
Build genuine social connections with peers who share their interests and understand how they think 
Develop communication, collaboration, and teamwork skills naturally through shared activities they actually enjoy 
Gain social confidence in a low-pressure environment where a caring mentor creates space for every personality to shine 
Experience the sense of belonging that comes from being understood, accepted, and celebrated for who they are 
Kylie Hushbeck is a teacher in rural Oklahoma. Growing up, her and her 2E brother loved museums, nature, books, and all things learning, except school. For Hushbeck, the anxiety school brought on could be overwhelming and for her brother, the structure and dynamics did not meet his ADHD/Autism needs. Now as an educator, she seeks to meet students where they are and find where they can thrive by building an inclusive and open environment, whether that is in a public school classroom, summer camp, or online class. Hushbeck has a B.A. in Political Science and a B.A. in Journalism from the University of Oklahoma. She has studied political activism ranging from Oklahoma's education protest to Italy's anti-mafia leagues. She is a member of the prestigious Phi Beta Kappa Society which champions education in the arts and sciences, fosters freedom of thought, and recognizes academic excellence. She was awarded Teacher of the Year for the high school she teaches at in the 2024-2025 school year. Hushbeck lives with her wife and two dogs in the town she grew up in. She is a citizen of the Chickasaw Nation. She enjoys reading, playing bass guitar, beadwork, and cooking for her loved ones.
WHAT PARENTS ARE SAYING
Parents don't just see happier kids. They see sharper thinking, stronger friendships, and a child who actually wants to log on.
★★★★★
"Hushbeck is the first mentor who truly got my son. For the first time he feels understood, not managed."
Emma A.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"My daughter counts down the days until Hushbeck's class. I have never seen this much excitement about learning."
Martha A.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"Hushbeck is the first mentor who truly got my son. For the first time he feels understood, not managed."
Emma A.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"My daughter counts down the days until Hushbeck's class. I have never seen this much excitement about learning."
Martha A.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"Hushbeck sees exactly where my son is and meets him there. The growth this semester has been incredible."
Yvonne A.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"My daughter used to hide how smart she was. Hushbeck celebrates her brain instead of trying to tame it."
Kimberly A.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"Hushbeck sees exactly where my son is and meets him there. The growth this semester has been incredible."
Yvonne A.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"My daughter used to hide how smart she was. Hushbeck celebrates her brain instead of trying to tame it."
Kimberly A.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"The way Hushbeck runs the room is special. Small group, real attention, and my son finally feels safe to speak up."
Christina A.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"We have tried a lot of programs. Hushbeck is the only one who made my daughter feel like she belongs."
Diana A.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"The way Hushbeck runs the room is special. Small group, real attention, and my son finally feels safe to speak up."
Christina A.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"We have tried a lot of programs. Hushbeck is the only one who made my daughter feel like she belongs."
Diana A.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"Hushbeck is the first mentor who truly got my son. For the first time he feels understood, not managed."
Emma A.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"My daughter counts down the days until Hushbeck's class. I have never seen this much excitement about learning."
Martha A.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"Hushbeck sees exactly where my son is and meets him there. The growth this semester has been incredible."
Yvonne A.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"My daughter used to hide how smart she was. Hushbeck celebrates her brain instead of trying to tame it."
Kimberly A.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"The way Hushbeck runs the room is special. Small group, real attention, and my son finally feels safe to speak up."
Christina A.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"We have tried a lot of programs. Hushbeck is the only one who made my daughter feel like she belongs."
Diana A.
YSA parent
If you’re not 100% in love with the course, you have options depending on how you enrolled:
You can switch to another course of equal or lesser value that’s a better fit or get a credit to use toward a future course.
You can either get credit toward a future course, switch to another course of equal or lesser value that’s a better fit, or stop all future payments after a 30-day processing period.
No risk. No stress. Just the learning and belonging you have been looking for.
We can offer this because we know what we do works for thousands of other families. Kids become more self-confident. They find their people. And families tell us this is the place where their student finally feels welcome. We know it will work for your family, too.
All-Access Passes have separate terms and conditions. Please see the All-Access Pass pages.
It goes without saying, but we’ll say it anyway... to qualify for the satisfaction guarantee policy, you have to actually attend the classes. This is not a cancellation policy. It’s a satisfaction guarantee. You can’t be satisfied or dissatisfied if you don’t attend.
Young Scholars Academy is a virtual village that offers one-of-a-kind, engaging enrichment courses and community for 5-18-year-old bright, quirky kids to empower them to develop their strengths, make like-minded friends, cultivate life skills, build confidence, and feel great about themselves under the loving care of expert mentors. description2: >- Picture a place where your child fits in, is celebrated, mentored, and loves learning the unique content their beautiful brain craves. That happens every day at YSA for over 1,200+ families, and it can happen for your family, too.
WASC Accredited · 1,200+ Families · 93% Re-Enroll · 47+ States, 17 Countries, 6 Continents
Learn more about YSAQUESTIONS ABOUT THIS COURSE
Everything you need to know before enrolling your child.
Most online classes put 20-30 kids in a room with a teacher who reads slides. At YSA, your child joins a group of 8 or fewer students who think like they do, led by a mentor who was often once just like them. Cameras are optional. The content is chosen by passion, not grade level. And 93% of families re-enroll - because kids who have never liked school before fight to log on to YSA.
Yes. YSA families join from 47+ states and 17 countries across 6 continents. All you need is an internet connection. We schedule sections across multiple time zones so families worldwide can find a time that works.
Adulting 'N Thriving: Real World Independence meets once per week for 50 minutes, every week from August through December. Your child joins the same tight-knit group of up to 8 students and the same mentor all semester long. Same friends, same mentor, a new challenge every week.
Our gifted and 2e students experience such asynchronous development that hard age limits rarely tell the full story. If your student should be aged up or aged down, contact us at support@youngscholarsacademy.org or click the chat in the bottom right corner of the screen. We do this all the time.
Please don't confuse reactive distance learning with what happens at YSA. When a kid is engaged in a course they chose, with a mentor who gets them and peers who share their interests, the screen disappears. They're not on a screen. They're with their people. Parents tell us their children fight to log on to YSA.
If your child isn't loving a course by the end of the first week, swap into a different course. Same semester. No questions. Not the right fit within the first month? We'll stop payments, switch courses, or issue credit toward any future course. The credit never expires. And you keep every bonus you've received. Over 93% of YSA families don't just stay. They add more courses.
No. Cameras are always optional. Always. Many of our students start with cameras off and turn them on when they're comfortable. Our mentors engage every student equally, cameras on or off.
No. If you're here, you're in the right place. We don't require paperwork, evaluations, or labels. Whether your child has been formally identified as gifted or twice-exceptional, whether you suspect it but haven't pursued testing, or whether you just know your kid's brain works differently and nothing else has fit, they're welcome here.
Yes. YSA is an approved vendor with 10+ state ESA programs including Arizona ESA, Utah Fits All, ClassWallet, My Tech High, Florida Step Up, and others. Enroll directly to secure your child's spot, submit the invoice to your ESA, and your payment method is refunded when funds transfer. Many families pay zero out of pocket.
Click "See Available Times" on this page, pick the section that fits your schedule, and your child's spot is secured immediately. No phone call. No placement test. No prerequisite.
Right now, a kid who thinks like your kid is in a course they chose, with a mentor who was once just like them, surrounded by friends who don't think they're weird... they think they're interesting.
Your child is one click from finding out what that feels like.
Internet connection and can-do-attitude!