We don't prepare children for school.
We prepare them for life.
Real Life Labs | Fall 2026
Real Life Labs is a 12-week immersive experience where kids build confidence, independence, and real-world capability through meaningful challenges, hands-on projects, and learning by doing. In intentionally small groups, students are encouraged to step outside their comfort zones, discover what they're capable of, and build skills they'll carry long after the program ends. Because when children learn they can do hard things, they begin to believe they can do anything that's within their reach.
Real Life Labs Fall Overview
The Independence Project is a hands-on learning experience designed to help kids build the confidence, resilience, and life skills that traditional classrooms often don't have time to teach. Through real-world challenges, practical experiences, and meaningful conversations, children discover that they are capable of far more than they imagined. Every activity is designed to strengthen independence, problem-solving, communication, responsibility, and character in a fun, encouraging environment where learning happens by doing.
3-Week
Sessions
Start August 4
12-Week
Sessions
Start October 6
Program Structure
Every week begins with a mission.
Rather than following a traditional curriculum, students are challenged with a new real-world mission designed to develop practical life skills, emotional intelligence, confidence, leadership, and resilience. Each mission unfolds throughout the week through hands-on experiences, guest mentors, collaborative challenges, reflection, and real-world application.
The 12-Week Program allows students to go beyond simply learning a skill—they have the time to practice it, receive feedback, revisit it, and build genuine confidence through experience.
Each mission is intentionally designed to answer one important question:
"Who do I become when life gets hard?"
Throughout the semester, students may take on missions such as:
Find Your Voice
Learn to communicate with confidence by developing and delivering a TED-style talk. Students discover how to organize their ideas, connect with an audience, tell meaningful stories, and overcome one of the greatest fears many adults never conquer: public speaking.
Financial Literacy
From creating a budget to making investment decisions, students learn that money is more than something we spend—it's a tool that creates opportunities and freedom. Through interactive games, real-world scenarios, and hands-on challenges, they'll practice earning, saving, investing, giving, and making thoughtful financial decisions. By understanding how money works at an early age, students begin building habits that can positively impact the rest of their lives.
Master Your Mind
Explore the science of mindset, habits, focus, and resilience. Through challenges and conversations with remarkable guest speakers, students learn that success is built through perseverance, curiosity, and the willingness to do hard things.
Relationships Matter
Practice healthy communication, active listening, empathy, conflict resolution, setting boundaries, repairing relationships, and becoming the kind of friend, teammate, and family member others can trust.
Spot the Game
Learn how advertisers, social media, news, influencers, and even peers use emotion to influence decisions. Students develop critical thinking skills, recognize manipulation, and practice "The Power of the Pause"—learning to respond thoughtfully instead of reacting impulsively.
Mind • Body • Spirit
Discover the connection between physical health, emotional well-being, and personal purpose. Students explore movement, nutrition, sleep, stress management, gratitude, and healthy habits that support a balanced life.
Real Life Missions
Throughout the semester, students continue tackling practical challenges that build independence—from navigating everyday problems and making responsible decisions to serving others and contributing to their community.
How We Learn
Every class combines:
Surprise mission reveals
Hands-on challenges and simulations
Team collaboration and problem-solving
Guest speakers with extraordinary life experiences
Reflection and guided discussion
Independent practice at home with family
Opportunities to teach, present, and lead
There are no grades.
Instead, students build something far more valuable:
Capability.
Because confidence doesn't come from being told you're capable.
It comes from proving it to yourself
What’s Included
Tuition includes all curriculum, instruction, supplies, project materials, equipment, guest instructors, challenge activities, and take-home resources. Families will not be asked to purchase additional materials throughout the session.
The only additional cost is our optional Community Dinners, where students prepare and serve a shared meal for their families and community. These dinners are expected to cost approximately $15–20 per guest, depending on the seasonal menu selected by our student chefs.
Sample Real Life Labs Day
Mission Briefing: Find Your Voice
Did you know that many adults are more afraid of public speaking than they are of heights, spiders—even death?
Today's Mission: Change that.
Students discover why our brains become nervous in front of an audience before jumping into a series of games and challenges designed to make speaking feel fun, natural, and surprisingly exciting.
1:00 pmConfidence Games
Before anyone gives a speech, we play.
Students build confidence through interactive games such as:
One Minute to Win It – Speak for one minute about a surprise object or topic.
Story Builder – Teams create a story one sentence at a time.
The Elevator Pitch – Explain a random object in 30 seconds and convince the group they need it.
Pass the Story – Practice listening, adapting, and thinking on your feet.
Audience Detective – Learn how body language changes the way a message is received.
Without realizing it, students are developing confidence every time they stand up to speak.
1:30 pmSurprise Guest Mentor
Just when students think they know what's next...
A surprise guest arrives.
Today's mentor is a professional keynote speaker who regularly presents to audiences of hundreds—even thousands—of people.
Students hear how they overcame fear, learn practical techniques for speaking with confidence, ask questions, and receive personal coaching before trying the techniques themselves.
2:30 pmBreak & Connection
A chance to recharge, grab a snack, spend time outside, and connect with friends before returning to the day's mission.
3:15 pmTED Talk Workshop
Students begin developing their own TED-style talk.
Together we'll explore questions like:
What's something you've learned that others need to hear?
What's a challenge that changed you?
What story can only you tell?
3:45 pmChill Time and Pick Up
Family Challenge
Before heading home, students receive a mission to complete with their family.
This Week's Challenge:
Interview someone you admire.
Ask them:
What's the hardest thing you've ever done?
What did it teach you?
What advice would you give your 10-year-old self?
The following week students will share one lesson they discovered.
4 pm
