VFD Learning Center is where 11-17 year old students can learn to manage themselves and accomplish their goals. With their mentor, they will be given opportunities to explore their interests, fail at times, and then push forward. Students will become comfortable evaluating and discussing ideas, developing skills, creating business, and pursuing hobbies.
Students generally meet Monday-Friday, 8-4pm. Hours can be individualized as needed to accommodate early drop-off, late pickup, or pickup at a different location (soccer practice anyone?).
For new students each day will be split into halves, details below. As students begin to discover their interests, mentors will help them set goals and manage progress to take those interests seriously. Students will begin to take more control of their own learning and they can decide how to best manage their time to reach their short term and long term goals.
The first half of the day is primarily for student directed activities. They may rebuild a truck, start a rock band, engage in debate, work a horse, write a story, or make a business deal. This is the first step in helping students gain confidence in themselves and discover their interests.
We already have many activities available, but when we don't have the supplies or expertise needed for a desired activity students can submit a proposal to have it included. Each proposal should include some basic information such as a value proposition, costs, timelines, and end goal. Mentors will help students learn how to create and deliver proposals.
The second half of the day is principally for focused study, often done in small groups or independently. It's a good time to improve reading, writing, and math skills. Project and research based study is encouraged as the best way to solidify and apply academic subjects.
As an example of applied learning let's look at a student hoping to start a small dog breeding business. They may research about genetic inheritance, care requirements for breeds of interest, dog pedigree and registration, accounting basics, business basics, and local laws. They could visit dog breeding facilities, create a business plan, run market analysis, look for investment, source supplies and animals, make sales, and communicate with customers. These activities can be done with the help and supervision of their mentor, and likely with partners also at the learning center.
Cost is $800/month. Price is negotiable for individual or family needs and circumstances.
As students begin to narrow down their interests mentors will help them set goals and manage progress to take those interests seriously.
For example, students that enjoy creating solutions to problems and want to feel like a wizard should perhaps look into application development. To become an application developer they may want to:
Talk to a handful of professionals in the field to learn about their experience.
Find a mentor.
Review the job market for entry level positions, senior level positions, likely career pivots, and freelance or start-up opportunities.
Solve a code kata each day.
Contribute to some basic coding projects related to a hobby, interest, or other need.
Read "Code" by Charles Petzold.
Setup a home network.
Review OWASP top 10 security threats and try to replicate some.
Design and setup a relational database.
Test the performance of an application and make it better.
Get a certificate or two.
Create a resume and portfolio.
Decide if college is right and prepare accordingly.
Become excellent at the craft.