Alpine Valley School Podcast

Over the last twenty years, many students have left their mark on Alpine Valley School, but none quite so visibly as graduate Ethan Welshon. Not only did he build the pergola in the school's back yard, but Ethan also led the way on a mining project which spanned multiple months and even involved heavy equipment. Hear the story of these undertakings and more as Missa Gallivan talks projects on this week's podcast. You may be surprised to learn about some of the wacky, entertaining, and downright awesome activities that have unfolded here at school!

What is it that has kept Alpine Valley School going strong for so many years? How do the mountains of day-to-day tasks get done? The answer is simple: Staff members. On this episode we go behind the scenes with former AVS staff member and Sudbury schooling expert Bruce Smith to find out what it's really like to work at a school like AVS. Hear how Bruce's journey in teaching at a traditional high school led him to discover Sudbury schooling - a passion that has led him across the country to different schools for twenty years. Bruce's personal account is truly inspiring and not to be missed!

Links mentioned in the show:

• Sudbury School Families Google group
• Sudbury Moments Facebook Page
• Bruce's twitter account
• Bruce's YouTube playlist
• Colorado Gives Day

On the 10th episode of the AVS podcast, host Missa Gallivan interviews ten Alpine Valley School graduates from all over the world about their experiences at school. Together, these graduates answer the most frequently asked questions we receive on a regular basis. How do AVS students go on to college? What sorts of activities do students do at school all day? And how do kids deal with boredom? Find out the answers to these queries and more on this very special episode!

YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/gjUq-o0IFTM

Everyone wants their children to grow up in touch with their creative side, but in the modern over-scheduled world it can be hard for kids to find the space they need to be artistic. On today's episode, host Missa Gallivan discusses how students at Alpine Valley School harness their creative energy and use their time at school to dabble in many different pursuits. Her guest, AVS alum Lisa Mancuso shares how spending her childhood at AVS helped shape her as an artist. She also talks about how her sewing hobby grew into a full-fledged career as a costume designer, all from projects she used to do as a student!

Links mentioned in the show:

• Lisa's costume design: 1 2 3 4
• Alpine Valley School's instagram account
• Podcast email
• Help support the Houston Sudbury School via Paypal: [email protected]

Youtube link: https://youtu.be/u9gDkSACokc

For as long as Alpine Valley School has existed, all students and staff have experienced the phenomenon of the Main Room Table. The real magic is not the table itself, but rather the gathering place it represents for a diverse group of students, and the conversations that occur around it. On this episode host Missa Gallivan explores the eye-opening effect those Main Room table conversations can have on even the youngest students. Her guest, AVS graduate James Kashevos talks about how joining in on these discussions helped him overcome his social awkwardness. In addition, he shares how video gaming and building computers at school helped prepare him for a rewarding career in internet security. Come on in and pull up a chair for another mind-expanding episode of the Alpine Valley School podcast!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Alpine Valley's YouTube Channel

On this episode, host Missa Gallivan interviews two Alpine Valley School graduates who spent their entire schooling career at AVS. Ellie Welshon, youngest child of AVS founders Tammy and Larry Welshon, shares how being respected from the earliest age helped her to have more compassion. Christy Mann, daughter of an AVS staff member, talks about how interacting with people of all different ages prepared her to enter the workforce armed with the knowledge of her own value. Together, they share their favorite memories from their time as students and talk about how they even planned their own prom so they wouldn't have to worry about missing out. Join us as we discover what it was like to grow up experiencing real freedom and how it shaped these two amazing young people.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Amazon Smile

YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/bNjiZaiw_9Y

We've all heard the line 'children need structure' repeated by many well-meaning individuals. But, is it really true? Can students learn the necessary skills for a happy, effective adult life without every minute of the day being scheduled by an adult? We at Alpine Valley School know that they can, and we have many graduate success stories to illustrate this point. On this episode, host Missa Gallivan explores how free play can be of enormous benefit to young people in finding themselves and determining their place in a community. Her guest, Jesse Alford, an AVS alum working as a software engineer in Silicon Valley, talks about all the time he spent playing and how developing games helped him shape the beginnings of a successful career, in addition to providing a happy childhood. Hear for yourself the necessity of 'wandering' and how a real experience of freedom day-to-day shaped Jesse into the articulate, mature, and playful person he is today.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Free to Learn by Peter Gray
• Freedom to Learn - Peter Gray's blog on Psychology Today
• Pivotal (where Jesse works)
• Jeffrey Freed

YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/sEFVA8WEvF0

On this podcast you've heard from many graduates of Alpine Valley School, but in this episode listeners have the opportunity to hear from a current student. Host Missa Gallivan interviews ten year-old Alder Bloomfield and his mom, Stacey. A former unschooling family, they share how their lives have changed since enrolling in Alpine Valley School three years ago along with some of the benefits and challenges they have experienced along the way. Alder also shares his personal experiences with Judicial Committee and other aspects of life at school. This episode is perfect for any families with unschooling backgrounds considering the move to democratic education at schools like Alpine Valley.

Links mentioned on the show:

- Show email address: [email protected]

What does it mean to belong at school? How can a young person's life be shaped by the unique brand of support and acceptance available in democratic schools like Alpine Valley? These are the questions host Missa Gallivan takes on in episode 4. Her guest, Vanessa Reich-Shackelford is an AVS graduate who talks about her experience as a teenager at Alpine Valley School and how finding a community that saw her and accepted her for who she was helped shape her young life and propelled her into a successful academic career.

Links mentioned on the show:

• AVS Blog eBook
• Free at Last
• WWEST Organization
• Life Lessons with Brene Brown

In this episode, host Missa Gallivan talks about the cornerstone of Alpine Valley School community. How do you know that your child will benefit by their alternative education? Look at the graduates. Better yet, come to an event and talk to a graduate (or just keep listening to this podcast)! Guest Aaron Cure is the parent of an AVS grad, not to mention an employer of two more AVS alums, and he shares his uniquely positive take on the role of community in democratic education.

Links discussed in this episode:

• Enroll at Alpine Valley School
• Get involved with the Friends of AVS
• Free at Last Book