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The Future of

Celebration Education

We provide ADVENTURE

            which inspires CREATIVITY

                               and leads to POSSIBILITY.

Celebration Education recognizes that every child has their own genius. We inspire that genius by allowing each child to take the lead in their learning experiences, drawing on their innate learning tools of curiosity, exploration, and creativity. To enhance those experiences, we provide rich learning opportunities in the form of an inspiring environment, access to interesting materials, varied classes, and plentiful field trips all tied together with exciting themes.

A message from Heather Martinson, founder of Celebration Education

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I started Celebration Education back in 2006 as a single class in Yucaipa. By now Celebration Education's classes have been in six counties, two theme parks, and online. We're having a great time and we love the hundreds of families we've had the opportunity to get to know over the years.

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While we're all having a great time learning and exploring, most of our families have no idea of what Celebration Education is all about and why we do what we do.

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Celebration Education's vision is very specific. It's what keeps me going year after year, working toward the ultimate goal of one or more learning centers, offering exciting learning opportunities for learners of all types!

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I'm going to share my vision with you in four parts:

  • WHY we do what we do

  • WHAT we do now and what we would like to do in the future

  • WHERE we would like to do what we do

  • HOW we're going to get there

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WHY we do what we do

 

For starters, any mom with more than one child knows that no two children are alike. State and national standards are an inappropriate approach to educating individuals. Standards are a touchstone for a child that doesn't exist, as there is no such thing as a standard child. Besides, who would want their child to be “common” or “standardized”?

 

Here are the some of the basic educational truths that we hold as more important than the standard textbooks, workbooks, grading, grade levels, and testing:

 

  • School should appreciate and enhance each student's individual genius. We recognize that all people are capable of accomplishing great things!

  • Children learn best when they're having fun! They learn rapidly and come to associate learning with a fun adventure.

  • Students can choose their own learning activities, projects and exploration. They are likely to choose the activities that are within their intelligences and enhance their genius. Students will also surprise you with the challenges they will choose!

  • Students should be allowed to explore a topic to the extent of their curiosity.

  • Students learn best in an environment that is physically and mentally safe.

  • Students learn better in small groups rather than large classes.

  • What the students are learning needs to be meaningful to them.

  • Students learn better when they get to take the lead in their learning.

  • Parents are an important part of a child's learning experience.

  • Students should have access to a wide variety of resources.

  • Students can learn a lot through real-life experiences.

  • Given the right learning environment, students become insatiable learners!

WHAT we do now:

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We have held weekly classes in various locations in Southern California, including homes, parks, rented rooms, and theme parks. Each week is a set of fun activities to introduce topics to the students. We also offer field trips and online events that relate to the topics.

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WHAT we would like to do in the future:

 

One day, we will have a dedicated facility of our own. Here, we will be able to offer both full-time and part-time programs, as well as the weekly classes that we currently offer.

 

At this facility, a typical week would run like this:

 

Monday:

  • Introduce the topic of the week to all students in an assembly-style setting, using fun child-involved activities

  • A series of short small group activities

  • Students choose relevant follow-up projects to do on campus or at home throughout the week.

  • Students receive materials to use for their follow-up projects

  • Elective classes

 

Tuesday:

  • Individual and small group projects on campus or at home

  • Elective classes

 

Wednesday:

  • Field trips and “being there” experiences

 

Thursday:

  • Individual and small group projects on campus or at home

  • Elective classes

 

Friday:

  • Students meet in small groups to share with one another what they worked on during the week

  • All students meet together to share what they did with their groups during the week

  • Special guests from the community

  • Possible pot luck (if applicable to the week's topic)

  • Celebrate everyone’s accomplishments

 

In addition, there will be quarterly celebrations for the whole family and a yearly super field trip.

WHERE we would like to do what we do:

 

The facility that will house our programs will be a very special one. To the right are some of the feelings families will experience at the correct facility.

 

A strip mall or industrial complex would not work for our purposes because we need some outdoor space for the students. A rented church will not likely serve our needs because we would like to “dress” the school in our own unique way.

 

Each year we are going to dress the school to reflect our theme for the year. For example, this year, our theme is “Crafting a Country – American History with a Minecraft Twist.” The walls of our school this year would be adorned with Minecraft-style American icons, a large US Map, and pictures of our weekly topics.

Our school will:

 

  • be beautiful, open and airy

  • be warm and inviting

  • promote a feeling of acceptance and possibility

  • have lots of natural lighting

  • accommodate collaboration and project-based learning

  • allow students to move about freely

  • be clean and uncluttered

  • have room to move about

  • have an environment that reflects what is being learned

  • have a large, natural setting yard

  • have several classrooms surrounding a common area

  • have space for 50-100 students, 10-15 students per teacher

The school will have:

 

  • learning resources

    • science equipment

    • art & craft supplies

    • music equipment

    • sports equipment

  • library

  • community kitchen

  • large meeting/rec room

  • several small classrooms

  • outdoor play space

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  • curriculum store

  • pro shop

  • cafe/cafeteria

  • indoor play area

  • covered patio

  • flower and vegetable gardens

  • sports areas

  • exercise equipment

  • trees to climb

  • tutoring cubicles

  • “hang-out” space with features such as couches, foosball, table tennis, and pool tables

This facility could also be used for:

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  • tutoring

  • homeschool resource center

  • homeschool classes

  • summer day camps

  • after school care

  • hall rental

  • community classes and events

  • teen center

  • preschool classes

  • network gaming

  • tabletop gaming

Want to know more about this facility? Go here!

HOW we're going to get there:

 

My vision is big. My passion is big. Without the big vision and passion, I would not be able to do as much as I have already done. It has been a great labor of love. But I readily admit that I can't do everything. 

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Now in order to move forward, we need to bring on more dedicated and passionate workers. Who wants to join us? We're having a great time, and it's all for the kids!!!

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Here are some specific areas where we could really use some dedicated workers:

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Financials – Who is good with money stuff? Who can write a business budget? I also need someone who can bill the charter schools for us.

 

Promotional – Who would like to head up our promotional team?

 

Curriculum writing – I spend more time writing than anything else and I could really use that time toward creating Celebration Education's future.

 

Minecraft server admin – This is someone who can load the custom plugins and do the set-up for our weekly online events.

 

Facility team - Help us find and get into the facility we need!

 

There's a lot more that needs to be done. Let me know if any of this resonates with you. Want to jump in with us?

 

Let us know what you think!

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