From the Parents:

Our daughter Abby has been attending Anything Grows Elementary School for three years now. In that time, we have noticed many ways in which she has been positively shaped by this school and community.

We see her being more capable. As a rule Abby is a child who will “go along to get along.” Her temperament prevented her from expressing her ideas because of shyness and fear of being wrong, or that someone wouldn’t like it. At Anything Grows, she has been encouraged to develop her thinking in many ways. She has become confident in knowing and speaking her own mind. Where she had always been a bit dreamy and sometimes hard to motivate, now we see her excited about learning and initiating new ideas, like making up a graph system to keep track of her chores.

In this environment, by use of council and skillful interpersonal guidance, she has been able to gain a visible confidence. She is not afraid to do something different with her hair, or to speak out for the kind of activity she would like to pursue. Watching this change has been a great joy.

We also appreciate that the school honors the rather long attention span she has for projects. Whether it is a puzzle she is working on, or a story that she is writing, there always seems to be plenty of time for it, sometimes allowing a particular child or group to work longer while others are switching to another activity. We had begun to see a shortening of her attention span when she attended public school but she now has the ability to stay focused on a single project for hours.

We feel blessed to be a part of this community, to have the support and encouragement that it provides for Abby as an individual. We also treasure the presence of this community in our lives. Our whole family is constantly enriched by participating in the philosophy of consensus and the process of council. It provides a wonderful model for all of us.
~Sharmon and Scott Hendrickson.

Maisha is a free spirit who was withering in the public school setting from the mindset that all the children have to do the same things at the same time and in the same way. I am so thankful for the encouragement of creative freedom and support of individual interests and learning styles that she experiences at Anything Grows.

Learning and growing in this environment, together with trust, respect, and acceptance, enables her to realize her true potential and to shine with her own bright light. She finally has the opportunity to be different and accepted and appreciated for her originality and to do things in a way that makes the most sense for her.

I take comfort in knowing that the sense of family and the friendships gained during her years with Anything Grows will carry her long and far.
~Lisa Lindquist

What I want for my son is to have a lifelong interest in learning, and the skills to do so independently. I see both developing in him every day at Anything Grows. I attribute it largely to the approach -involving the kids in curriculum choices, and respecting the unique abilities, interests, and contributions of each child.

I love not worrying about whether my son is exposed to negative influences at school. In fact, it’s just the opposite. The positive influence of a community built on respect and consensus has come home and helped to improve my own communication and parenting skills. And you know it's got to be good when your kid complains about having to miss a day of school because of a three-day weekend.
~Sarah Campbell

From the Teachers:

There is something about the environment at Anything Grows that really needs to be experienced in order to be fully understood. It’s not about philosophies written down on a piece of paper or student work hung on a wall. It’s about a group of people and the indescribable connection that is allowed to form between them. When I reflect on the time I spend at Anything Grows, this is the thing I think about most. It is this amazing setting where people of all ages come together and are allowed and encouraged to express what they truly feel and become the people they want to become. I have never before been in such an environment and to be honest, I have quickly become captivated. I see children respecting each other and having compassion for not only people in the school but also in the surrounding community. They seem to hold close an idea that is missing in much of our culture. They believe they are just a small part of one humungous world and that a stranger deserves no less consideration than a close friend does. Every single day they put their selfish desires aside and willingly compromise for the good of the entire group. They do the sorts of things we all might have done if we hadn’t just been simply a name on a roster and a score on a standardized test.
~Josh Bechtel

I love my job at Imagine! I work in an educational environment which promotes everything I believe in; community, compassion, caring, respect, and experiential-based learning. Curiosity is the key to our investigations, and our projects are passion driven. Engaged learners have the opportunity to keep going! And perhaps most important, we come to school daily with excitement about learning.

As a teacher I am respected for who I am, whether I share my expertise or my uncertainty. I feel that what I have to offer is important and valued. And in this environment, it is clear to everyone that not knowing all the answers is normal. In fact, much of our learning is the result of ‘failed investigations.’ We say “Well, that didn’t work! Now what?” I feel good about myself here. The environment promotes self-esteem and values – for me and for the students.

We are all teachers and learners here. And when someone stumbles, we pick them up. We have a lot of fun, and discuss things when we don’t. I feel this environment truly supports all areas of development whether social, emotional or academic. And of course having both a city and rural site provides opportunity for supporting our diversity in learning styles, developmental needs, and interests.

I wake up every morning like a child; excited to learn with my friends and delve into new discoveries. The learning is rich and the community exceptionally dedicated. What more could I ask for?!
~Laurie Rotecki