Magic the Gathering

Prepare to be amazed as you watch your differently-wired kiddo make real friends, explore this unique content, grow under the guidance of this expert mentor, and be seen in all their glory!

Why Take This Course?

🔮 Want to throw goblins at your adversaries? Do you want to command skyscraper high creatures to do your bidding? Do you want to reanimate the dead of your opponent's army and use it against them? You can with Magic!

Magic the Gathering is a unique blend of strategy, timing, randomness, and player interaction. This course promises to take you beyond the basics, exploring the rich complexities that make MTG a game like no other. Get ready for an adventure that will not only make you a skilled planeswalker but create memories to last a lifetime!

  • Want to throw goblins at your adversaries? Do you want to command skyscraper high creatures to do your bidding? Do you want to reanimate the dead of your opponent's army and use it against them? You can with Magic!

    Magic the Gathering has been one of the per-eminent card games in the world for over 30 years, with thousands of cards and many ways to play. This game is simple in its basic format and also the most complex game to exist. Your teacher, Mr. Z, will take you on a tour of the game, how to play it, and how to get better at it.

    Magic is part strategy, part timing, part randomness, and encourages a lot of interaction with other players. Whether its the competitive scene of standard format, with tournaments and challenging meta, or the relaxed and casual atmosphere of Commander, there's a format and a way to play for everyone.

    What's in Store:

    Game Essentials: Delve into the foundations of MTG, understanding its simplicity in the basic format and embracing its status as the most complex game ever created.

    Guided Tour: Mr. Z will navigate you through the game, teaching you how to play and master the art of Magic.

    Versatile Playstyles: Explore various formats, from the competitive edge of standard tournaments to the laid-back camaraderie of Commander. There's a format for every aspiring mage.

    Creative Card Mastery: Learn to be inventive with your card choices, navigate the strategic complexities, and find your way out (or deeper) into the challenges presented.

    Deckbuilding Craft: Understand the art of deckbuilding, transforming ideas into exciting and effective decks that are not only powerful but also a blast to play.

    Social Sorcery: Discover the social aspects of Magic, from finding fellow plainswalkers to being an upstanding member of the magical community.

    Magic the Gathering is a unique blend of strategy, timing, randomness, and player interaction. This course promises to take you beyond the basics, exploring the rich complexities that make MTG a game like no other. Get ready for an adventure that will not only make you a skilled planeswalker but create memories to last a lifetime!

  • Welcome student to Magic The Gathering! We look forward to you weaving all kinds of magic and spells that will be super fun and exciting. In order to expand your spell casting abilities we will be using two different programs to help us out:

    1. Cockatrice - https://cockatrice.github.io/ - This program allows us to play with the full range of cards without having to buy every single one. We will have a server using Cockatrice setup to play and test out decks with others, and we will be using it from time to time to go over certain types of games. This will be necessary to interact with others on the playing-field.

    2. (Optional) Magic Arena - https://magic.wizards.com/en/mtgarena - Magic the Gathering's eminent program for playing the game online. Though this is not a necessity, your teacher will be using it during class to show specific parts of the game an how it works. It's also a great way to play several different types of events if you are not able to make it to a store.

    Additionally, one of the best ways to learn is to actually play. Start looking up Magic The Gathering online and get a feel for how it works =)

 

Ages: 8-12 & 13-18

Class size: Maximum - 8 Students

Level: All Levels

Price Per Session: $39

How To Enroll

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What Our Parents Say…

  • “I’m not exaggerating when I say that I listen in on this class because it’s so cool! Where were classes like this when I was growing up? Man! Mr. Z is truly a gifted teacher! He makes learning statistics so fun! My son never cared much for math before and now he LOVES IT!”

    -Jerry

  • “Mr. Z’s stats class is so much fun! My son always leaves that class saying that he wishes it met everyday! We’re so happy we found it!”

    -Steph

  • “Our daughter really loves this class. Mr. Z is so fun and she feels like she’s learning all the cool stuff she would look up on her own time, but with a group! We love Mr. Z!”

    - Lyn

Meet Your Mentor

Eric Lloyd Zeltmann (Mr. Z)

I am a parent of five kids, all of which are different and awesome in their own ways. I have learned much about myself, and how to adapt quickly to situations, as I am surrounded by kids with ADHD, Autism, and Dyslexia on a daily basis. And, to boot, they're all smarter than the average bear, which makes everything even faster and more chaotic.

I've worked in public school, private school, and have even home-schooled some of my kids. My greatest parenting achievement was to prove that if every one of those kids knocks on my door once every half hour, that still means that I get ten interruptions per hour. Yet, they still do it :-). I love working with kids because every one of them is a bundle of potential, hope, and zany stories about something they love and hold dear. Every time I teach, I see something new, and I can't wait to see what your kids can teach me!

Explore Other Courses Offered by Young Scholars Academy

Our Promise To You

Satisfaction Guarantee:

If you’re not 100% IN LOVE with this course within the first 24 hours, you can either transfer to another course, get a 100% refund credit toward a future class or get a 75% money-back.

That’s it! No hassle!

In 3 years and over 500 families served, only 2 families have ever used this.

*more info in FAQs below

Questions Asked By Fellow Parents

  • 4 KEY things:

    1- A focus on the positive! We don’t focus on what students aren’t doing, we support what they are and we know the rest will come. We develop strengths, interests, and relationships. We build students up so they can build a better world! And do it with the new friends they make in our program!

    2- Like-minded neurodivergent peers. Our asynchronous students need one another and YSA is a safe haven for these kiddos to connect around their asynchronies, quirks, and interests. We’re a place where they can be their authentic selves and make friends while doing so!

    3- Passionate, masterful neurodivergent mentors who have walked the walk and can authentically validate and support your child with personal experience and care AND expertise as we all have advanced masters + degrees

    4-Content your students care about taught in a way they love! We offer the courses they need to be taking, not the ones they’re required to take.

    Come by and see for yourself!

  • Please don’t confuse reactive “distance learning” and virtual enrichment programming. After all, a student who is completely fried from a boring zoom class is often quick to pick up a tablet or phone, right?

    Our courses are not at all the same animal =)

  • We offer a satisfaction guarantee!

    If you’re not 100% IN LOVE with your course, you can:

    1- Transfer to another equal value class at no charge (space permitting)

    2- Get a 100% refund to a YSA credit

    3- Get a 25% money-back to your credit card

    Refund requests must be received up to 24 hours after the first day of camp. After 24 hours after the first class begins there will be no refund of tuition.

    The non-refundable 25% deposit is critical as it allows us to determine which courses we can run.

    Note- this is a satisfaction guarantee, therefore your child must attend class to qualify.

    *Note- Yearly courses like AP require a 30-day notice

  • We do! We have 3 kinds:

    1- Word of mouth: 25% off- we know that the best way to reach new families is word of mouth. When you help another family enroll in a YSA class and they name you at checkout, you will get 25% off the cost of the course you’re currently enrolled in once they stay past the refund period. Note— this applies to all regular courses, BUT only applies to the first month of membership courses.

    2- Multi-sibling: 10% off- We believe in supporting whole families and we are willing to put our money where our mouth is! When you sign-up 2 or more kiddos you will receive 10% off. Note— this does not apply to our membership courses.

    3-Multi-course: 10% off- To fully serve your family, we hope to provide your child with all the courses they dream of taking! To make this more affordable, when you enroll in 3 or more classes, you will receive 10% off. Note— this does not apply to our membership courses.

  • Of course!

    As we like to say, if you’re on our site, you’re in the right place.

    Our programming is for students who are not being supported or challenged enough in school.

    If you have an asynchronous kiddo who you know has strengths and struggles, our courses are for your child.

  • 2e students experience such asynchronous development that it proves difficult to have hard age limits.

    We often evaluate students on a case by case basis =)

    Please email us and we’ll discuss: sam@youngscholarsacademy.org

  • All of our programs are 100% virtual. This allows us to bring together the twice-exceptional/neurodivergent students of the world, connect them, and nurture them!

    Your child may very well enter a 6-person class with 5 other students from 5 different states/countries!

    Cool, right?