Rolling enrollment open. Courses prorated.
Explore now.Does your child love Stardew Valley? Do they already have a perfect farm layout planned in their head? In this course, students explore the beloved game together, learning about agriculture, economics, community planning, and resource management through the world of Stardew Valley. It's the course where your child's gaming passion becomes a real learning experience, and they'll make friends who love the game just as much as they do.
Does your student enjoy farming or sim games and is looking for a way to socialize? Stardew Valley is a low-stakes game where students can jump in without ever having played before, team up with peers who share the fun, and grow real skills while they do it.
Together, students take on cooperative play to reach long and short term goals, sharing information about in-game items and events as they build their farms side by side.
As the seasons turn, students practice time and resource management, task prioritizing, and delegation, deciding together what matters most and who takes the lead.
Along the way, students discover real-life parallels to in-game items, from crops and economics to community planning, so the learning reaches well beyond the screen.
And of course there is plenty of room for silly group hijinks, the kind of shared laughter that turns fellow students into friends.
For gifted and 2e kids, finding peers who understand them can feel impossible. This course puts your child in a room with kids who think like they do, led by a mentor who creates space for genuine connection. Parents tell us this is the first time their child has had friends who truly get them.
Social skills built through forced interaction rarely stick. This course builds them naturally through shared interests and a mentor who models healthy communication. Parents see their kids become more comfortable in group settings, more willing to speak up, and more confident navigating relationships.
Build genuine social connections with peers who share their interests and understand how they think 
Develop communication, collaboration, and teamwork skills naturally through shared activities they actually enjoy 
Gain social confidence in a low-pressure environment where a caring mentor creates space for every personality to shine 
Experience the sense of belonging that comes from being understood, accepted, and celebrated for who they are 
Monica enjoys teaching 2E students through a strength based lens, using humor and novelty to grow interest in new topics. She also encourages students to observe the world around them and see nature, games, and art as opportunities to continue learning in all aspects of their lives.
WHAT PARENTS ARE SAYING
Parents don't just see happier kids. They see sharper thinking, stronger friendships, and a child who actually wants to log on.
★★★★★
"My son has always struggled to make friends, and Monica built a group where he finally belongs. He talks about his farm crew all week."
Renee P.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"Monica turns a video game into real lessons about planning and teamwork. My daughter does not even realize how much she is learning."
Cara M.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"My son has always struggled to make friends, and Monica built a group where he finally belongs. He talks about his farm crew all week."
Renee P.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"Monica turns a video game into real lessons about planning and teamwork. My daughter does not even realize how much she is learning."
Cara M.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"The cooperative part is everything. Monica keeps it low pressure, and my quiet kid started speaking up and even leading."
Devon T.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"I love that Monica connects the game to real world ideas like budgeting and resource management. It sticks with him."
Priya S.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"The cooperative part is everything. Monica keeps it low pressure, and my quiet kid started speaking up and even leading."
Devon T.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"I love that Monica connects the game to real world ideas like budgeting and resource management. It sticks with him."
Priya S.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"My daughter counts down the days to Monica's course. It is the social outlet she never had before."
Lauren K.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"Monica gets these kids. There is laughter, there is teamwork, and my son leaves every session happier."
Marcus D.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"My daughter counts down the days to Monica's course. It is the social outlet she never had before."
Lauren K.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"Monica gets these kids. There is laughter, there is teamwork, and my son leaves every session happier."
Marcus D.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"My son has always struggled to make friends, and Monica built a group where he finally belongs. He talks about his farm crew all week."
Renee P.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"Monica turns a video game into real lessons about planning and teamwork. My daughter does not even realize how much she is learning."
Cara M.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"The cooperative part is everything. Monica keeps it low pressure, and my quiet kid started speaking up and even leading."
Devon T.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"I love that Monica connects the game to real world ideas like budgeting and resource management. It sticks with him."
Priya S.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"My daughter counts down the days to Monica's course. It is the social outlet she never had before."
Lauren K.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"Monica gets these kids. There is laughter, there is teamwork, and my son leaves every session happier."
Marcus D.
YSA parent
If you’re not 100% in love with the course, you have options depending on how you enrolled:
You can switch to another course of equal or lesser value that’s a better fit or get a credit to use toward a future course.
You can either get credit toward a future course, switch to another course of equal or lesser value that’s a better fit, or stop all future payments after a 30-day processing period.
No risk. No stress. Just the learning and belonging you have been looking for.
We can offer this because we know what we do works for thousands of other families. Kids become more self-confident. They find their people. And families tell us this is the place where their student finally feels welcome. We know it will work for your family, too.
All-Access Passes have separate terms and conditions. Please see the All-Access Pass pages.
It goes without saying, but we’ll say it anyway... to qualify for the satisfaction guarantee policy, you have to actually attend the classes. This is not a cancellation policy. It’s a satisfaction guarantee. You can’t be satisfied or dissatisfied if you don’t attend.
Young Scholars Academy is a virtual village that offers one-of-a-kind, engaging enrichment courses and community for 5-18-year-old bright, quirky kids to empower them to develop their strengths, make like-minded friends, cultivate life skills, build confidence, and feel great about themselves under the loving care of expert mentors. description2: >- Picture a place where your child fits in, is celebrated, mentored, and loves learning the unique content their beautiful brain craves. That happens every day at YSA for over 1,200+ families, and it can happen for your family, too.
WASC Accredited · 1,200+ Families · 93% Re-Enroll · 47+ States, 17 Countries, 6 Continents
Learn more about YSAQUESTIONS ABOUT THIS COURSE
Everything you need to know before enrolling your child.
Most online classes put 20-30 kids in a room with a teacher who reads slides. At YSA, your child joins a group of 8 or fewer students who think like they do, led by a mentor who was often once just like them. Cameras are optional. The content is chosen by passion, not grade level. And 93% of families re-enroll - because kids who have never liked school before fight to log on to YSA.
Yes. YSA families join from 47+ states and 17 countries across 6 continents. All you need is an internet connection. We schedule sections across multiple time zones so families worldwide can find a time that works.
Stardew Valley Farming meets once per week for 50 minutes, every week from August through December. Your child joins the same tight-knit group of up to 8 students and the same mentor all semester long. Same friends, same mentor, a new challenge every week.
Our gifted and 2e students experience such asynchronous development that hard age limits rarely tell the full story. If your student should be aged up or aged down, contact us at support@youngscholarsacademy.org or click the chat in the bottom right corner of the screen. We do this all the time.
Please don't confuse reactive distance learning with what happens at YSA. When a kid is engaged in a course they chose, with a mentor who gets them and peers who share their interests, the screen disappears. They're not on a screen. They're with their people. Parents tell us their children fight to log on to YSA.
If your child isn't loving a course by the end of the first week, swap into a different course. Same semester. No questions. Not the right fit within the first month? We'll stop payments, switch courses, or issue credit toward any future course. The credit never expires. And you keep every bonus you've received. Over 93% of YSA families don't just stay. They add more courses.
No. Cameras are always optional. Always. Many of our students start with cameras off and turn them on when they're comfortable. Our mentors engage every student equally, cameras on or off.
No. If you're here, you're in the right place. We don't require paperwork, evaluations, or labels. Whether your child has been formally identified as gifted or twice-exceptional, whether you suspect it but haven't pursued testing, or whether you just know your kid's brain works differently and nothing else has fit, they're welcome here.
Yes. YSA is an approved vendor with 10+ state ESA programs including Arizona ESA, Utah Fits All, ClassWallet, My Tech High, Florida Step Up, and others. Enroll directly to secure your child's spot, submit the invoice to your ESA, and your payment method is refunded when funds transfer. Many families pay zero out of pocket.
Click "See Available Times" on this page, pick the section that fits your schedule, and your child's spot is secured immediately. No phone call. No placement test. No prerequisite.
Right now, a kid who thinks like your kid is in a course 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.
Your child is one click from finding out what that feels like.
An internet connection and a can-do attitude!