the pioneer project

Our Philosophy is community-centered and experiential in essence.  We believe that the best learning happens through experience and reflection as opposed to textbooks and tests.  We care deeply about each student and ensure that they get the attention they need to thrive in our program.  We are unabashedly concerned with the health of our environment and thus teach practical skills in sustainable living to promote more ecologically mindful communities while striving to connect students to the natural world through wilderness expeditions.  Craftsmanship is a dying value in our culture which has many unfortunate repercussions.  Thus, we have chosen to promote traditional craft through exposing students to various artisans who still hold the wisdom of their respective craft traditions. We believe that healthy communities are essential to the happiness and sustainability of our future, and therefore teach effective communication, conflict resolution, and facilitation techniques so that our students may become effective leaders in their own places.

 

We also believe that the Gap Year represents an incredible opportunity for students to do the important work of unearthing their passions and purpose outside of an academic environment.

 

​Our Mission

​To foster clarity of purpose, empowerment, and interdependence in young adults by offering a community-oriented educational experience focused on practical sustainable living, traditional craft, and outdoor leadership skills.
 

​Our Vision

The Pioneer Project envisions a future where humans acknowledge their interdependence with each other and the Earth, while striving to live purpose-driven lives in service of others through creating supportive, ecologically sensitive communities.
 

​Our Guiding Principles

Clarity of Purpose: Our students will be encouraged to seek their “divine purpose” so that they may be able to steer their life’s ship with a confident hand.  Without this clarity, living a conscious, values-directed life and making an impact on the wider community is impossible.

Empowerment: All change starts with the individual.  Our students will critically examine self-imposed barriers to empowerment, develop skills necessary for true self-reliance, and begin to recognize their own power to change their circumstances.
 

Interdependence: Individuals are necessarily members of cultural and natural communities and cannot act alone.  We acknowledge the importance of community in nurturing ideas, reinforcing values, and taking action to create a better world.