Rolling enrollment open. Courses prorated.
Explore now.Your child and their new friends are the star. In this interactive, inclusive course, students learn the basics of creating a character, audition, get cast, and perform on our Virtual Stage under the gentle direction of an engaging mentor. All the fun. None of the anxiety.
The show goes on, and here your child and their new friends are the stars! In this interactive, inclusive course, students learn the basics of creating a character, audition, get cast, and perform on our Virtual Stage under the gentle direction of an engaging mentor. All the fun, none of the anxiety.
Every new actor learns a few basic lessons before they are ready to audition for a play and receive a script, and Ms. Jackson has directed this show on stage many times. Your child gets to experience the very best parts of a live production: the excitement of auditioning, the creativity of building a character, the satisfaction of knowing a script, and the fun of being part of a cast.
Students learn to create a character for the stage by finding character voices and body movements and considering the stories and emotions behind a character's motivation. Every exercise follows Ms. Jackson's modeling so students feel comfortable. She is so silly that no one worries about looking silly themselves.
Your child explores how a character moves. How does this person walk? What do they do with their hands? How would they stand, sit, or move? Ms. Jackson also covers stage basics like cheating out, not upstaging, and always making sure you can be seen.
We talk about how it feels to be a particular character and the story that explains who they are. Then students choose their top three favorite characters, develop a voice and movement for each, prepare a few lines, and audition for Ms. Jackson and the class.
Students are never expected to memorize their lines. They keep the script with them throughout, and if they would like to put together costumes and gather props for their parts, they are welcome to. Together the group works toward a real stage performance.
Ms. Jackson uses scripts she has carefully edited for teaching children. She keeps the fun of beloved classic stories while removing the outdated stereotypes from the era in which they were first written, so every child can take part with pride.
Parents consistently tell us that the confidence their child builds on the Virtual Stage carries into school presentations, social situations, and everyday life. Theatre builds vocal expression, body awareness, and the ability to stand in front of an audience without anxiety. That kind of self-assurance is something no textbook can teach.
For kids who feel like they have to mask or hold back in other settings, theatre gives them permission to be expressive, creative, and fully themselves. The entire production process, from character creation to performance, happens in a supportive environment where every kid gets to shine. Parents watch their child come alive in ways they have not seen before.
YSA is a UC-registered online publisher and WASC-accredited Supplementary Education Center, which means our courses can count toward official college credit requirements. State schools can recognize the courses your student takes here, adding real legitimacy to your homeschooling journey or building on top of your student's existing transcript. That opens up two ways to enroll: For Credit -- Your student earns official, accredited credit toward their transcript. For-credit students complete weekly assignments that build toward their transcript grade. Outside-of-class work ranges from 1-2 hours per week. Perfect for families who want documentation that reflects what their child is actually capable of -- to show the world how brilliant they are. For Enrichment -- Your student takes the very same course purely for the love of learning. No grades, no outside-of-class work, no credit attached. Just the content, the community, and the growth. Same course. Same mentor. Same experience in class. You choose what fits your family.
If you homeschool, this works seamlessly. If your student attends another school full time, we create a report card and transcript that we share with you, and you share with the school. It is up to your primary school to accept it and add it to your student's official transcript.
Learn the full arc of putting on a play, from creating a character and finding their voice to auditioning, rehearsing, and performing on the Virtual Stage 
Build creative confidence through low-pressure exercises where the mentor models everything first, so no one worries about looking silly 
Experience the best parts of being in a live show, including the excitement of auditioning, the satisfaction of knowing a script, and the fun of being part of a cast 
Grow in self-expression, vocal control, body awareness, and emotional intelligence in a safe, inclusive space where every kid gets to show exactly what is special about them See what the Theatre experience looks like at YSA
See this course in action
I've been teaching theatre for 26 years and I was also a children's performer for ten of those years. I own a theatre program and I put on a show after every 20 hours of instruction (almost 60 shows in six years!). I believe EVERYONE needs and wants to be creative and expressive. Sydney Clemens says "Art has the role in education of helping children become like themselves instead of more like everyone else" and my goal is to allow students a safe place to explore and shine and comfortably be themselves. In addition to Theatre, Ms. Jackson teaches Improv, Creative Writing, Friendship Social Club, Girls' Club, and Story Building.
WHAT PARENTS ARE SAYING
Parents see their kids come alive on stage, building confidence and creativity in a space where every child is celebrated.
★★★★★
"My son auditioned, got cast, and performed for the very first time. Ms. Jackson made the whole thing feel joyful instead of scary."
Ophelia R.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"Ms. Jackson takes the fear out of the stage. My daughter went from hiding behind me to owning her lines."
Callum D.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"My son auditioned, got cast, and performed for the very first time. Ms. Jackson made the whole thing feel joyful instead of scary."
Ophelia R.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"Ms. Jackson takes the fear out of the stage. My daughter went from hiding behind me to owning her lines."
Callum D.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"Watching my kid light up on the Virtual Stage was unforgettable. Ms. Jackson gave him that moment."
Marisol S.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"My daughter memorized nothing and still felt like a star, exactly as Ms. Jackson promised. Her confidence is through the roof."
Grover T.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"Watching my kid light up on the Virtual Stage was unforgettable. Ms. Jackson gave him that moment."
Marisol S.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"My daughter memorized nothing and still felt like a star, exactly as Ms. Jackson promised. Her confidence is through the roof."
Grover T.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"Ms. Jackson's updated scripts let my son fall in love with a classic story without the cringey old stereotypes. I appreciated that so much."
Delphine A.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"For a kid with stage fright, performing for Ms. Jackson's class was a huge win. She built him up every single week."
Anton K.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"Ms. Jackson's updated scripts let my son fall in love with a classic story without the cringey old stereotypes. I appreciated that so much."
Delphine A.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"For a kid with stage fright, performing for Ms. Jackson's class was a huge win. She built him up every single week."
Anton K.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"My son auditioned, got cast, and performed for the very first time. Ms. Jackson made the whole thing feel joyful instead of scary."
Ophelia R.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"Ms. Jackson takes the fear out of the stage. My daughter went from hiding behind me to owning her lines."
Callum D.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"Watching my kid light up on the Virtual Stage was unforgettable. Ms. Jackson gave him that moment."
Marisol S.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"My daughter memorized nothing and still felt like a star, exactly as Ms. Jackson promised. Her confidence is through the roof."
Grover T.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"Ms. Jackson's updated scripts let my son fall in love with a classic story without the cringey old stereotypes. I appreciated that so much."
Delphine A.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"For a kid with stage fright, performing for Ms. Jackson's class was a huge win. She built him up every single week."
Anton K.
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.
Students go through the full process of putting on a play. They learn to create a character using voice, body, and emotion. They audition for a part, rehearse with their castmates, and perform on the Virtual Stage. The whole experience is guided by Ms. Jackson, who has been teaching theatre for 26 years.
No. This course is designed for all levels. Ms. Jackson models every exercise first so students feel comfortable, and the environment is built to be low-pressure and inclusive. Many students start out shy and end up performing with confidence.
No. Students are never expected to memorize their lines. They keep the script with them throughout the class. If they want to put together costumes or collect props, they're welcome to, but it's not required.
Ms. Jackson uses scripts she has heavily edited specifically for teaching children. Her goal is to keep the fun parts of classic scripts without any outdated undertones. The scripts are inclusive and age-appropriate.
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.
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 "Show Me 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.
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