Jake
MFA Humanities, Digital Media Expert
- 10+ years experience
- Neurodiversity podcast co-host
Specialties: Digital Media · Philosophy
Why Jake teaches here
Jake Noonan is a dynamic educator with over 10 years teaching neurodivergent students and specializes as an Academic Coach for gifted and ADHD learners. He holds an MFA in Humanities and co-hosts a neurodiversity podcast. Jake embodies the creative, multidimensional learning he champions—producing music, drumming in bands, writing fiction, and creating digital art—making him a natural fit for students who thrive outside conventional boundaries.
What students experience in Jake's classes
High Engagement
Jake is a working musician, writer, and digital artist, and he teaches the way he creates, across disciplines and full of momentum. As an Academic Coach for gifted and ADHD learners, he structures a session so a busy mind always has somewhere to go.
Intellectual Safety
Twice-exceptional himself and co-host of one of the top neurodiversity podcasts, Jake openly champions minds that work outside the usual boundaries. Students who have been told they are "too much" find a mentor who treats that energy as creative fuel, not a flaw to fix.
True Belonging
With an MFA in Humanities and a life spent making music, fiction, and art, Jake is living proof that a multidimensional kid can thrive. Students who do not fit one box find belonging with someone who never fit one either.
The right mentor can change everything.
You don't have to figure this out alone. See where Jake and the rest of the YSA village are teaching this season.
Explore Jake's Courses →Explore Jake's Courses
Discover the courses and camps Jake teaches.
Civilization Building
Students design their own society from scratch: what their people believe, who leads them and how their story ends…
Current Events
One steady place each week for teens to talk through the big news with other teens who notice it too, and leave with a…
Philosophy & Big Ideas: Question, Wonder, Debate, Discover
For kids who keep asking after the answers run out. Some questions are silly, some are hard, and students learn to take…
Pop-Culture Discourse
For teens who examine pop culture like it's their job. From Harry Potter to Taylor Swift, they dig into why we value…
AP® English Literature (75 min)
For students with a passion for storytelling and a deep curiosity about the human experience, AP English Literature…
AP® Psychology (75 min)
For students with exceptional empathy and a passion for understanding the human mind, AP Psychology offers a…
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 5–18. 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?
Courses start at $27.55 per week. 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.