What Makes Our School Unique & Wonderful

Students will want to know:

Our graduates say that the friendships they developed here are deep and lasting both because we have a small family-like atmosphere and because we appreciate each student’s uniqueness and contribution to the whole.

“Respect for myself and others was one of the most important qualities I feel was strengthened by my schooling at Ananda School. At Ananda School I developed sincere friendships with my teachers, which when I went to public high school I learned was rare. Those friendships made me feel respected by my teachers and gave me respect for them.”   — S.S.

Self-discovery is learning to work with and direct the inner power, will, and energy that will make you dynamic.

This is a time for developing those qualities which are uniquely yours: it can be a new way for creative expression, a skill you want to develop, or some way to better the world. Conscious mentoring offers you the opportunity to take more responsibility and gives you the freedom to make choices which enable you to make your ideals practical. These skills will serve you throughout your life.

These are some of the student-originated projects during recent years:

• a kirtan band that travels the West Coast inspiring adults as well as young people
• a group of boys set up an extra curricular basketball team and found other small local schools to challenge to a game
• a production of Lord of the Rings, with a student written script, back drops, costumes, etc - performed to rave reviews.
• the development of an orphanage for lambs
• putting together from parts a classic Sprite automobile that received national publicity (Check out their website at www.teamsprite.com)

Small class sizes and a student–centered curriculum turn traditional academics into a array of exciting ideas that relate directly to you and your world.

Recent examples:

• Our school language program is Spanish as that gives us so many opportunities to put it to use. Several classes have traveled to an orphanage in Mexico. Last year an older boy’s class went to Peru. At one point the boys divided into groups of four and went out on their own with money with which they could negotiate their night’s lodging.
• A phenomenal music program has produced a school orchestra that won first place in our regional competition with much larger schools. Students regularly perform at an amazing level for adults as well as their peers. Listen to our recent Christmas concert.
• A teacher obtained a grant that enabled the students to build an alternative energy wind mill and put it to use locally.
• A fast-paced challenge loved by many of our classes, both girls and boys, is that of mental math. Lists of numbers are thrown out for students to add in their heads and come up with the correct answer.
• This year one of our 2009 graduates was acting in a Shakespeare play at a local college. Our high school students studied the play and then traveled to see the performance.
• This year students are taking Sharing Nature™ Leadership training which involves teaching others how to love and care for nature.