alternative education start-ups in Philadelphia
what if schools were different?
my years teaching in public schools revealed a consistent truth: students are most driven when their education is personally meaningful and relevant. witnessing this sparked my transition toward unschooling—a self-directed model where learners choose their own path and pace within a supportive, community-oriented environment.
shifting the focus from standardized mandates to student agency, i became invested in facilitating spaces where curiosity leads and learning is rooted in authentic engagement rather than compliance.
in 2018, i moved to Philadelphia to help launch Philly ALC and serve as a founding board member. building on that momentum, i co-founded The Dandelion Project in 2020 to make alternative education accessible through a lens of environmental stewardship and collective liberation.
we launched our outdoor-based program, Wild Seeds ALC, at FDR Park in 2021 before expanding into a South Philly facility in 2023. today, the non-profit continues to grow and thrive.
skills shared with the start-up project:
mission, vision, core value development, ensuring practices and policies are aligned
non-profit start-up and initial board development
project management to launch an alternative school, summer camp, after school program, community events, and more
facilitation of youth programming, specifically around social-emotional learning, art, literacy, and environmental ed
website and newsletter development
outreach and marketing material creation
building ongoing partnerships with adjacent orgs
program registration, onboarding families, hosting information sessions and open houses
designing learning spaces indoors and outdoors
developing job descriptions, hiring, onboarding staff
documentation and storytelling
grant writing
program and facilitator evaluation and feedback processes
