Wilderness Skills Institute LLC

My son is in his second year at Wilderness Skills Institute. He is 7 years old. This school has exceed my and my husband’s expectations for many reasons. First, and most importantly, I believe that the proof is in the pudding. My son comes home at least once or twice a week saying that this was the best day of his life. He is strong in mind and body not only from spending 6 hours a day mostly in the forest with a competent teacher, but respective and caring peers as well. He is hungry when he gets home and sleeps well. We commute 45 minutes a day just to bring him to school as we live in Los Gatos. The conversations in the car usually include new words from his lexicon and what we think they mean. At any given point outside of school, he is known to suggest a gratitude circle with family and/​or friends just to share good thoughts and inspire others to do as well. I truly believe that he has learned to approach life from a center of calm, strength, courage, safety and kindness. This school encourages problem solving through research and good communication skills. Last year, my mother asked my son what his favorite part of school was. His reply, «We’re learning physics right now.» Surprised, she asked him what that was and his response was, «Oh, it is studying the distance a tree falls in the forest. I really like that.»
So, yes. To say the least, we are very proud of our son and pleased with Wilderness Skills Institute. They operate with a strong moral compass and high integrity. This school teaches so much more than it could possibly advertise.
Here’s to the future generation!
Thanks for reading this.
Proud Parents of WSI

Wilderness Skills Institute is a different kind of school. I wish this was available when I was a kid. In my opinion It combines the effectiveness and self-​actuating theories of a Sudburry with the energizing and grounding experiences of a «true» nature school.
The students are engaged and bright and the mentors are encouraging, resourceful and available to help guide the students in the pursuits of their individual passions. Students are involved in every aspect of their own personal educational journey. Lessons evolve through logical learning based on the individuals goals and aspirations. Boredom and burnout do not exist and that leads to a lifelong passion for learning.
The founders/​owners of Wilderness Skills Institute are to be congratulated on creating a truly unique and inspirational environment for a nature-​based and nature-​connected learning experience. My children and family will continue to benefit from what they started.
This really is education «the way it was meant to be». I wish every child had the opportunity to attend a school like this. Can’t recommend this school enough!

I believed this program would be the place for my children. In many ways, both my children and I learned a lot, about the outdoors, and why not to put all your trust in a business.
Firstly, do not ever give them money up front. You will never have a chance to get refunded if anything goes wrong. That being said, we are out over $ 7,000 because my daughter decided this wasn’t the school for her seven weeks into the program, sorry, it says on their website, no refunds. This was their first year in business and I was only trying to help them out. At the end of the school year when my son decided this was not the program for him either (this being after he was left unattended in the woods on one of the hottest days of the year, without water… among other issues of negligence), we were forced to simply give up all that money.
I think there are issues of not only negligence, but bullying, sexism, and really what I found to be fraud on the owner/​teachers part. They will tell you anything to get you in, but once you are in, you find nothing happens unless you make it. Which is the way life works anyways, so why give them money?
I think for the right family/​child situation, this school may work. I was sorely dissapointed that this was not the program I was led to believe it was… and I’m out $ 7,000.