Rolling enrollment open. Courses prorated.
Explore now.Philosophy & Big Ideas: Question, Wonder, Debate, Discover Where Big Questions Meet Bold Thinkers Does your student ask “why” more than most? Are they drawn to ideas that don’t have easy answers? Philosophy & Big Ideas is a deep-thinking, discussion-based course for curious minds who want to explore life’s most fascinating (and sometimes frustrating!) questions - big and small. From “What is the self?” to “How many holes does a straw have?”, students will wrestle with ideas that have puzzled philosophers for centuries. Along the way, they’ll meet major thinkers like Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, explore modern philosophers like Žižek, and learn to challenge assumptions with the Socratic Method. If your student enjoys deep conversations, abstract thinking, or simply wants a space to wonder out loud, Philosophy & Big Ideas is the place where thought experiments turn into meaningful exploration.
Does your student wonder why the world is, well, the world? Do they ask questions even when there may not be an answer, searching for meaning in the middle of life's chaos? Welcome to Philosophy & Big Ideas, a course for minds that refuse to stop asking why.
Students engage with the abstract murkiness of philosophy and its impossible questions. Some are playful, like how many holes does a straw have? Others are far more difficult, like what is the self? Along the way they read excerpts chosen to challenge their thinking, from figures as ancient as Thales to contemporaries like Zizek, with the big three of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle as a foundation for understanding Western thought.
Every student learns and uses the Socratic Method of questioning to sharpen their critical thinking and query-based communication. Along the way they become genuinely effective debaters, able to dismantle an argument with ease. Because the writing can be dense, students get real support parsing complex texts, and they engage with collegiate-level analysis and discourse throughout.
By the end of the course, each student leads a discussion or project on a philosopher or philosophical idea of their choosing. They leave able to share ideas with clarity, sit with uncertainty, and lean into the discomfort of questions that may never be fully answered. If your student loves deep conversation and abstract thinking, this is a place to wonder out loud among peers who do the same.
The thinking, collaboration, and confidence your child builds in this course do not stay in the classroom. Parents consistently tell us they see the difference at home, at school, and in social situations. When learning is driven by genuine interest, the growth is real and lasting.
For gifted and 2e kids, finding a place where they feel understood can change everything. This course surrounds your child with peers who think like they do and a mentor who celebrates what makes them different. Parents tell us this is the first program where their child truly felt at home.
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.
Dive deep with an expert mentor who meets every student where they are and pushes them to grow 
Build confidence, critical thinking, and genuine expertise through hands-on learning and real engagement 
Connect with a small group of like-minded peers who share their interests, forming real friendships in the process 
Develop skills that transfer beyond the classroom, including communication, collaboration, and independent thinking 
Jake Noonan is a deep thinking, dynamic teacher and writer who approaches education in a creative and multidimensional manner. Jake has over 10 years of teaching at traditional and alternative K-12 schools. In each grade, Jake specialized in working with neurodivergent students while offering authenticity and understanding. Jake is passionate about collaborating with each student to ensure that the individual goals are supported in all projects and discussions. Jake graduated from American Public University Systems in 2023 with an MFA in Humanities and from Temple University in 2014 with a BA in Secondary Education with a focus on English and Philosophy. Jake is also an Academic Coach specializing in individuals with ADHD and/or giftedness. In this role, Jake also co-hosts and produces a podcast on neurodiversity. Outside of academia, Jake spends time working on a multitude of creative projects at once such as music production, playing drums in several bands, writing fiction, and digital illustration.
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.
★★★★★
"My son has always asked the unanswerable questions. Jake is the first mentor who welcomed every one of them instead of rushing him to an answer."
Fiona H.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"My daughter came home debating whether a straw has one hole or two, and then quoting Socrates. Jake makes big ideas feel like the best game in the world."
Gwen H.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"My son has always asked the unanswerable questions. Jake is the first mentor who welcomed every one of them instead of rushing him to an answer."
Fiona H.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"My daughter came home debating whether a straw has one hole or two, and then quoting Socrates. Jake makes big ideas feel like the best game in the world."
Gwen H.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"The Socratic Method changed how my son argues. He listens, he questions, and he can take apart a claim without getting heated. Jake taught him that."
Ingrid H.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"Jake creates a space where it is safe to not know. My daughter used to fear being wrong, and now she leans into the hard questions."
Joanna H.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"The Socratic Method changed how my son argues. He listens, he questions, and he can take apart a claim without getting heated. Jake taught him that."
Ingrid H.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"Jake creates a space where it is safe to not know. My daughter used to fear being wrong, and now she leans into the hard questions."
Joanna H.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"By the end my son led his own discussion on a philosopher he chose. Watching him hold the room was something I did not know he had in him."
Kendra H.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"Cameras optional, pressure off, and somehow Jake still gets my quiet kid to debate Aristotle with the whole group."
Naomi H.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"By the end my son led his own discussion on a philosopher he chose. Watching him hold the room was something I did not know he had in him."
Kendra H.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"Cameras optional, pressure off, and somehow Jake still gets my quiet kid to debate Aristotle with the whole group."
Naomi H.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"My son has always asked the unanswerable questions. Jake is the first mentor who welcomed every one of them instead of rushing him to an answer."
Fiona H.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"My daughter came home debating whether a straw has one hole or two, and then quoting Socrates. Jake makes big ideas feel like the best game in the world."
Gwen H.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"The Socratic Method changed how my son argues. He listens, he questions, and he can take apart a claim without getting heated. Jake taught him that."
Ingrid H.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"Jake creates a space where it is safe to not know. My daughter used to fear being wrong, and now she leans into the hard questions."
Joanna H.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"By the end my son led his own discussion on a philosopher he chose. Watching him hold the room was something I did not know he had in him."
Kendra H.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"Cameras optional, pressure off, and somehow Jake still gets my quiet kid to debate Aristotle with the whole group."
Naomi H.
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.
Gifted kids are natural philosophers. They already ask the big questions - we give them frameworks, vocabulary, and a community of peers who think the same way. Our mentors guide discussions without dumbing them down. Students leave with sharper critical thinking, better argumentation skills, and the confidence that their deep questions deserve serious exploration.
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.
Philosophy & Big Ideas 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.
A great internet connection and a willingness to learn.