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School & Learning

Summertime: When The Learning's Easy

Summer is for passion-driven, strength-based learning. Discover how YSA brings that endless-summer spirit to gifted and differently-wired learners year-round.

By Sam Young 3 min read
Summertime: When The Learning's Easy

When are your learners at their best?

If they’re anything like me, they thrive when they are completely wrapped up in what they love.

When I was younger, I often went to school and did what I had to do just so that I could go home and do what I wanted to do. I’d spend all day in my classes working to get good grades, while daydreaming about going home and learning something even cooler; like learning why the earth’s magnetic poles wander! I loved anything that made me lose track of time.

When I was in 4th grade, I was diagnosed with ADHD. Needless to say, school was often tough. I struggled to read because I couldn’t pay attention and I was caught up in word patterns, not the meaning of sentences. When I would get home, however, all bets were off! I would get completely entrenched in something and had no problem paying attention.

I remember always loving when summer would come because it meant no more books for a few months. I was free to just build stuff with my hands, go on trips, visit museums, and watch documentaries. It was my kind of learning!

Each year, on the first day of summer, I would always set goals. “This summer, I’m going to learn how to speak French!” Or, “this summer I’m going to learn who really started the Revolutionary War!” I just loved diving into my passions.

Does this narrative sound familiar? Odds are, your kiddos are similar. Give them enough time and space and they can learn just about anything! The best part is, they learn their way!

It’s this kind of learning that lead to the creation of Young Scholars Academy. YSA was created around this central concept: the pursuit of passion through strengths/learner preferences. We strive to be a haven in which children pursue their existing passions and cultivate new ones.

YSA exists to be an endless summer of learning that is offered year-round. We offer programming that is comprised of: depth and complexity, executive functioning development, social engagement/relationship building, mentoring, and a heck of a lot of fun!

Speaking of summer, it’s quickly winding down! Odds are, as school draws nearer and summer winds down, you’re looking for something that your learners can get wrapped up in and that you can feel good about before it’s time for school again.

I’m elated to announce over 15 incredible camps before it’s time to go back to school. Finish off your students’ summers just right! Combat COVID burnout and prevent summer slide by igniting an inferno of passion within them that will burn all year long!

CLICK HERE to learn more!

About Young Scholars Academy

Young Scholars Academy is a WASC-accredited virtual learning community offering 200+ live online courses and camps for gifted or 2e children ages 5–18, in classes of 6–8 students, led by neurodivergent mentors. Young Scholars Academy currently serves 1,200+ families across 47+ states and 17 countries, with a 93% semester-over-semester re-enrollment rate. ESA funding is accepted in 10+ states.

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You don't have to figure this out alone.

Right now, a kid who thinks like your kid is in a class they chose, with a mentor who was once just like them, surrounded by friends who don't think they're weird... they think they're interesting.

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COMMON QUESTIONS

Questions Parents Ask.

Everything you need to know about Young Scholars Academy.

What is Young Scholars Academy?

YSA is a WASC-accredited virtual village for gifted, twice-exceptional, and differently-wired students ages 5–25. We offer 200+ live online courses (from Minecraft Redstone Engineering to AP Psychology to Mock Trial) with a maximum of 6–8 students per course, taught by 20 hand-selected mentor teachers who are neurodivergent themselves. We serve 1,200+ families across 47+ states and 17 countries. This is not a marketplace. It's a school and a community.

How does it work?

During Fall and Spring semesters, courses meet once a week, live on Zoom, 50 minutes per session. During Summer, camps run Monday through Friday, one week at a time. When your child enrolls in 3 or more courses, they get free access to Homeroom Social Club — a weekly gathering with a consistent group of friends. Between courses, students hang out on our virtual campus where they walk as avatars, eat lunch together, and build real friendships with kids from around the world who finally get them.

Who is this for?

Gifted, twice-exceptional, and differently-wired students, including kids with ADHD, autism, giftedness, anxiety, dyslexia, and PDA. No diagnosis required. If your child is clever, quirky, and hasn't found their people yet, they belong here. About 65% of our families homeschool. The rest use us alongside traditional or charter schools.

Is this a low-demand environment?

Yes. Enrichment courses have no grades and no traditional homework. However, for-credit courses include assignments and letter grades. Cameras always optional. Challenge by choice. Students are never cold-called, never forced to participate, and never penalized for how they choose to engage. For students with PDA, demand avoidance, or anxiety, this is the difference between a program they resist and one they ask to log into.

How much does it cost?

Semester courses start at $624. Summer camps are $149–$169 per camp. Payment plans, sibling discounts, referral credits, and ESA/charter funding accepted. We're an approved vendor with 10+ state ESA programs.

Will my child actually make friends?

This is the part that surprises parents most. Your child joins a course about something they love and meets 6–8 kids who love it too. Same group all semester (or all week for camps). Parents tell us their children are more connected with this community than with anyone physically around them. 93% of families re-enroll because their kids won't let them stop.

What if it doesn't work?

100% Satisfaction Guarantee. Switch courses, receive a credit, or stop payments. No questions asked. We can offer this because we know what happens when these kids find their people.

What do parents get?

Virtual Coffee & Connect hours every couple of weeks. Regular Expert Talks with leaders like Seth Perler, Debbie Reber, and Dr. Temple Grandin. A Facebook group where families connect and support each other. Progress updates from mentors. And the ability to watch your child's courses anytime (just stay off camera). You're not just enrolling your child. You're joining a village.