FAQ’s

Since this is our first year in operation, it’s difficult to pin down exactly what we will be doing. However, we intend to hike, cross country ski, and do many other activities outdoors. Most of the time we will stay within an hour or two of Utah County. As mentioned on other pages of this website, we want to teach the students knowledge about the Earth, its people, animals, plants, and geology. However we can incorporate the outdoors into our lessons, we intend to do it.

This can be done in many ways. Collecting leaves, insects, rocks and other natural things to study and draw is just a small part of what learning can happen in the outdoors. We encourage questions and ideas about what to study which is often the only needed catalyst to a robust and engaging project.

We do this by listening when any of them have something to say or a question to ask. They will know that what they think matters from the first day of school. We want them to feel safe to explore their interests and know they will have the guidance and acceptance needed to encourage them.

We subscribe to any philosophy that teaches a person to be good and trustworthy, grounded and kind. Some of these approaches come from ancient stoics like Seneca and Marcus Aurelius, others from various religious traditions including Sikhism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity, Islam, Native American teachings and many others. Almost every civilization has beliefs, heroes, and legends that can teach our young people. We need to gather all the good that we can to help the next generation improve the world.

The development of leadership goes hand in hand with moral character. When one has the moral character described above, leadership tends to arrive more naturally as students begin to influence others positively.

Life inherently carries risk, but we believe that embracing the outdoors enhances our lives. Through proper awareness and education, we equip our students to navigate life's challenges with confidence. Unified Studies prepares them to anticipate and respond to most contingencies, to know what do if an accident occurs, to learn from close calls thoroughly in order to minimize future risks. Gaining outdoor survival skills is essential, as the absence of this knowledge is even more dangerous. However, we do our best to stay in safe places and understand the environment well enough to be wise with our charges.

We seek to conserve and to use fewer resources whenever possible.

One thing Unified Studies (the Orem High class) focused on was being alone. Several times throughout the year, we rode the bus to a certain stretch of stream coming down South Fork Canyon. In solitude, we observed alone our “section” of earth through the seasons. We wrote, painted, and collected. We intend to facilitate this same kind of deep personal observation of the inward person and the outward biosphere in which we live.

Diversity is an individual choice. If that means dressing a certain way (as long as they have what they need for the environmental conditions), or wanting some alone time, it doesn’t matter as long as the “individualism” doesn’t take the path of encroaching on another’s right to do the same.

Enhancing our neighborhoods and cities through focusing on what kids are capable of, which is a lot, is one of the most important messages we hope to teach them.

We haven’t started yet, but we hope to teach them to be true to themselves by doing nothing that would be detrimental to themselves. We hope this will carry over into their having moral courage and integrity. We believe that moral courage comes from knowing deep down that one is good and that goodness can be exercised, practiced, and perfected. We all make mistakes though, and instead of dwelling on them, our students can welcome the lessons taught in order to become wiser.

Mostly, by how they treat others. As we encounter situations where actions may not align with the standards of moral character, we will address them as they arise, aiming not to belittle or discourage.

Good question. We have a list of books, blogs, web pages, and other resources to recommend that embody the values we admire. You will find that list on our Recommended Reading tab.

Much of each day will be spent together, talking, hiking, learning and laughing. We aim to create a community for our students that is truly a place they can feel comfortable to be themselves. And, we believe that when anyone feels like they can be who they are, they are much more likely to value that in others. This is what creates the sense of community in any group of people.