Ms. Wish
Former Private School Teacher
- Lifelong gamer
- Safe online learning expert
Specialties: Gaming · Social Skills
Why Ms. Wish teaches here
Ms. Wish is a homeschooling mom, lifelong gamer, and former private school teacher who teaches social gaming clubs where kids develop important social skills while playing their favorite online games, all while keeping the environment safe and age-appropriate. As Maria Montessori said, “Play is the work of the child,” and Ms. Wish embraces the digital world where so much play happens.
What students experience in Ms. Wish's classes
High Engagement
Ms. Wish meets kids inside the games they already love, running social gaming clubs where a favorite online world becomes the classroom. A lifelong gamer who homeschools her own kid, she keeps engagement high because the activity is what students would happily be doing anyway.
Intellectual Safety
She takes Maria Montessori's "play is the work of the child" seriously, treating play as real learning rather than a reward to be earned. That framing lets kids who freeze under academic pressure relax and take part as themselves.
True Belonging
Her clubs are built around social skills, so belonging is the curriculum, not a side effect. Kids practice real friendship in a space she keeps safe and age-appropriate, alongside others who share their favorite games.
The right mentor can change everything.
You don't have to figure this out alone. See where Ms. Wish and the rest of the YSA village are teaching this season.
Explore Ms. Wish's Courses →Explore Ms. Wish's Courses
Discover the courses and camps Ms. Wish teaches.
Video Game Literary Analysis: Kingdom Hearts
In this course, students will explore Undertale as a work of literature, treating the game like a st ...
Roblox In-Server
Do you notice that traditional social settings often don’t provide the kind of support your child ne ...
Roblox Shakespeare: Bardblox
Try It From The Inside Satisfaction Guarantee: Our Promise To You: If you’re not 100% in love with t ...
COMMON QUESTIONS
Questions Parents Ask.
Everything you need to know about Young Scholars Academy.
What is Young Scholars Academy?
YSA is a WASC-accredited virtual village for gifted, twice-exceptional, and differently-wired students ages 5–25. We offer 200+ live online courses (from Minecraft Redstone Engineering to AP Psychology to Mock Trial) with a maximum of 6–8 students per course, taught by 20 hand-selected mentor teachers who are neurodivergent themselves. We serve 1,200+ families across 47+ states and 17 countries. This is not a marketplace. It's a school and a community.
How does it work?
During Fall and Spring semesters, courses meet once a week, live on Zoom, 50 minutes per session. During Summer, camps run Monday through Friday, one week at a time. When your child enrolls in 3 or more courses, they get free access to Homeroom Social Club — a weekly gathering with a consistent group of friends. Between courses, students hang out on our virtual campus where they walk as avatars, eat lunch together, and build real friendships with kids from around the world who finally get them.
Who is this for?
Gifted, twice-exceptional, and differently-wired students, including kids with ADHD, autism, giftedness, anxiety, dyslexia, and PDA. No diagnosis required. If your child is clever, quirky, and hasn't found their people yet, they belong here. About 65% of our families homeschool. The rest use us alongside traditional or charter schools.
Is this a low-demand environment?
Yes. Enrichment courses have no grades and no traditional homework. However, for-credit courses include assignments and letter grades. Cameras always optional. Challenge by choice. Students are never cold-called, never forced to participate, and never penalized for how they choose to engage. For students with PDA, demand avoidance, or anxiety, this is the difference between a program they resist and one they ask to log into.
How much does it cost?
Semester courses start at $624. Summer camps are $149–$169 per camp. Payment plans, sibling discounts, referral credits, and ESA/charter funding accepted. We're an approved vendor with 10+ state ESA programs.
Will my child actually make friends?
This is the part that surprises parents most. Your child joins a course about something they love and meets 6–8 kids who love it too. Same group all semester (or all week for camps). Parents tell us their children are more connected with this community than with anyone physically around them. 93% of families re-enroll because their kids won't let them stop.
What if it doesn't work?
100% Satisfaction Guarantee. Switch courses, receive a credit, or stop payments. No questions asked. We can offer this because we know what happens when these kids find their people.
What do parents get?
Virtual Coffee & Connect hours every couple of weeks. Regular Expert Talks with leaders like Seth Perler, Debbie Reber, and Dr. Temple Grandin. A Facebook group where families connect and support each other. Progress updates from mentors. And the ability to watch your child's courses anytime (just stay off camera). You're not just enrolling your child. You're joining a village.