Embark Center for Self-Directed Education

05/25/2026

We ❤️our alumni!

Will is one of our first graduates, and we’re so happy to have been cheering him on for almost nine years now!

A professional musician, Will is currently touring with Jack Kays. Ever since we’ve known him, he has been deeply committed to music, and it’s been wonderful to watch him continue pursuing his craft and growing as an artist.

We’re grateful to enthusiastically be part of Will’s fan club, and we’re excited to see where his music takes him next!

Photo credit:

05/18/2026

Adults often dismiss conflicts in online games as “just drama,” but for many young people, spaces like Minecraft are deeply social, creative, and emotional worlds.

In our newest blog post, program advisor Andrea Cubelo-McKay reflects on a conflict that unfolded in the Embark Center Minecraft Realm and what it revealed about emotional dignity, belonging, restorative conflict resolution, and the importance of taking children’s experiences seriously, even in digital spaces adults may not fully understand.

At Embark Center for Self-Directed Education, we believe children are not simply preparing for life. They are already living one.

Read the full post through the link in the comments.

05/12/2026

"Sometimes people say that demand avoidance is really about a ‘pervasive drive for autonomy’ and that if only children and teens are given enough autonomy, everything will go well. I’m all for autonomy and helping young people be more autonomous. I think it is a fundamental part of what humans need in order to thrive. But it’s not enough. Autonomy is not enough."

This is a topic we ponder frequently at Embark Center. What are your thoughts?

Sometimes a focus on autonomy can be a trap

05/11/2026

Last call to visit us before we wrap up for the summer!

If you’ve been thinking about visiting Embark Center, now is a great time to come see the community in action before our summer schedule begins.

The next two weeks are a chance to experience our unique “life is learning” program in our historic building in downtown Leesburg, meet students and mentors, and get a feel for what makes our community so special.

Tours are available through May 21st. We’d love to see you here!

🔗 DM us or visit embarkcenter.org to schedule a tour

05/08/2026

“We should have a mascot.”

That one small comment unexpectedly turned into a conversation about:
💙symbolism
💙identity
💙democratic systems
💙community values
💙and how decisions actually get made

Students explored why certain animals become associated with education, what different symbols represent, and what kind of mascot actually felt aligned with our community.

Eventually, the group gravitated toward the crow:
intelligent, adaptable, observant, collaborative, and a little unconventional.

But the most meaningful moment wasn’t choosing the mascot.

It was when students realized the original voting poll they created didn’t actually reflect the values of our community.

So they stopped.
Researched alternatives.
Explored ranked-choice voting.
And redesigned the process together.

What started as a casual idea became something much bigger: a real-world exploration of systems, symbolism, collaboration, and community-driven learning.

This is often what learning looks like at Embark Center, not subjects separated from life, but organic learning that grows directly out of it.

Read more on our blog. Link in comments.

05/03/2026

Thank you to our student and alumni panelists for answering questions and speaking about your experiences at Embark Center at our Open House yesterday! And thank you to everyone who came out to learn more about us and tour our building.

If you missed our Open House, you still have three weeks to schedule a tour with us! Send us an email at [email protected]

05/01/2026

April Wrap-Up! Music classes, appreciating volunteers, art games, egg molds and so much more!

☀️Only 3 weeks left to visit us while we are in session for 2025-2026, so if you are curious about enrollment, message us today! [email protected]

04/28/2026

Looking for a different kind of learning environment for your child? 🌱

If you’ve been exploring alternatives to traditional school or just want to see what a self-directed learning environment feels like, come explore Embark Center for Self-Directed Education at our Open House on Saturday, May 2nd, from 10:30 am to 12:00 pm at our historic building in downtown Leesburg.

Meet students, hear from alumni, and take a look around.

RSVP appreciated but not required. Link in comments.