Young Scholars Fellowship: Pursuing Passion Projects

Arts/Humanities Edition (16 wk)

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?

📣 Imagine the excitement in your child’s eyes as they design and take their dream course on a topic of their choosing!

In Young Scholars Fellowship: Arts & Humanities Edition, young visual artists, creatives, writers, budding sociologists, historians, and any combination thereof, will delve into a Self-Directed Passion Project.

Here, it's all about Authentic, Individualized Passion/Inquiry-Based Learning!

Guided by our proven framework, participants navigate the entire project lifecycle:

  • ideation and research 

  • pacing and management

  • culminating in a final polished creation 

  • Young Scholar’s Symposium Project Presentation

  • Imagine the excitement in your child’s eyes as they design and take their dream course on a topic of their choosing!

    In Young Scholars Fellowship: Arts & Humanities Edition, young visual artists, creatives, writers, budding sociologists, historians, and any combination thereof, will delve into a Self-Directed Passion Project.

    Rather than direct instruction, the Young Scholars Fellowship is a space for students to write their own curriculum for a project that means the world to them. All the while, your kiddo will have expert guidance, our proven framework, individualized feedback, and support.

    In this exciting class your child won’t be taught by a dry “sage on the stage”, your Young Scholar will be mentored by a “guide on the side”! This class doesn’t have teachers, this class has mentors!

    Here, it's all about TRUE INDIVIDUALIZED PASSION and INQUIRY-BASED LEARNING.

    Students enjoy dedicated time to cultivate personal projects within a supportive community, fueled by collaborative research and development. Resources are custom-tailored to each student's needs and desires.

    Guided by our proven framework, participants navigate the entire project lifecycle:

    ideation and research

    pacing and management

    culminating in a final polished creation

    THE BEST PART! Students will showcase their Fellowship projects showcased at our Young Scholar’s Symposium. This event is not just a culmination; it's a celebration of authentic learning and achievement.

    Bonuses Include:

    Pride in Creation: Your child crafts something truly special they can take pride in.

    College Bragging Rights: Major bragging rights to colleges, showcasing their unique journey and skills.

    Modern Workforce Alignment: Aligned with essential life skills, preparing them for success in the modern workforce.

    Ignite your child's passion, empower their creativity, and let them shine on their path to brilliance with the Young Scholar Workshop!

  • THE BEST PART! Students will showcase their Fellowship projects showcased at our Young Scholar’s Symposium. This event is not just a culmination; it's a celebration of authentic learning and achievement.

    Bonuses Include:

    Pride in Creation: Your child crafts something truly special they can take pride in.

    College Bragging Rights: Major bragging rights to colleges, showcasing their unique journey and skills.

    Modern Workforce Alignment: Aligned with essential life skills, preparing them for success in the modern workforce.

    Ignite your child's passion, empower their creativity, and let them shine on their path to brilliance with the Young Scholar Workshop!

  • Materials for this course will be project dependent. For Visual Artists, preferred drawing medium is recommended. For writers and researchers, preferred writing implements are recommended (google docs preferred for ease of editing).

 

Ages: 13-18

Length of class: 16 weeks

Class size: Maximum- 8 Students

Level: All

Price Per Session: $44

How To Enroll

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What Our Parents Say…

Meet Your Mentor

Amy Bechtol

Amy Bechtol is a neurodivergent individual, educator, and activist. Six years ago she thought it would be fun to volunteer teach for a week as a break from entertainment design work, and accidentally found her passion. Amy has worked in neurodivergent and twice-exceptional education ever since, covering a wide breadth of topics from the humanities, to the sciences, to the visual arts. Her background as an entertainment designer and storyteller informs her teaching practices, finding ways to make content relevant to human experiences.

Amy loves getting to work with her students, who often share a neurology similar to her own, connecting them to curriculum in a way that is meaningful, novel, and fun. Utilizing a strength-based, talent-focused model, Amy seeks to engage learners by allowing them to connect their best, most authentic selves to the material. She believes that a state of growth is the natural state of a human mind, and it is the purpose of a classroom to facilitate that process, and allow it to be a joyful one.

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?