How one child’s curiosity sparked a 40-year learning movement

“If you don’t know where you come from, how do you know who you really are?” For over 40 years, SelfDesign® Learning Foundation has been redefining independent online learning, offering an approach that honours curiosity and autonomy. From its humble [...]

“Left! Right! Straight!” Wondertree gave Josh the confidence that his life journey would be worthwhile

It was the fall of 1985, and I was a few weeks into the second grade when my parents grew concerned. I was returning home from school decidedly miserable. My teacher was strict. Her classroom felt rigid and stifling. As [...]

2025-02-06T11:57:45-08:00January 8th, 2025|Who We Are, Learner Stories|

This learner took charge of his learning with SelfDesign: Wyatt’s story

When Wyatt Miller-Unser commenced from SelfDesign® Learning Community in 2013, he had basically completed a curriculum that he had designed to further his own interests in photography, videography and graphic design. The Kelowna-based learner was one of hundreds of learners [...]

2025-01-24T14:48:48-08:00December 11th, 2024|40th Anniversary, Who We Are, Learner Stories|

Revolutionary project sparked a passion for the environment and a career shaping environmental policy

Katherine’s Virtual High story Katherine Muncaster joined Virtual High in 1993, one of the first 35 learners to enroll with the revolutionary new learning program for teens that Brent Cameron and Michael Maser created in an old Vancouver mansion. She [...]

2025-01-24T14:55:47-08:00November 6th, 2024|40th Anniversary, Who We Are, Learner Stories|

Freedom and the ability to mix learning and play: Tallisen’s Wondertree story

Freedom is what Tallisen Soong Smith appreciates most about her four years with Wondertree and SelfDesign. That, and the ability to mix learning and play. “It was only in my later years, in my 20s, that I realized I’d been [...]

2025-01-24T15:01:24-08:00October 3rd, 2024|Who We Are, Learner Stories|

40 years of exploring her interests and following her passions: A conversation with Ilana Cameron

When six-year-old Ilana asked her dad to teach her at home instead of enrolling her in grade one at a local Vancouver brick-and-mortar school, Brent embarked on what would become a decades-long educational experiment in personalized learning to support his [...]

2025-01-24T15:05:33-08:00September 12th, 2024|40th Anniversary, Who We Are, Learner Stories|

Kalev Tait, Virtual High 1993–1997, remembers a tight-knit, supportive community

Drawing on almost 20 years of experience producing video games in the U.K., Kalev Tait recently co-founded video-game company Ludic Lemur in 2023 in Vancouver. The Virtual High alumnus had returned, with his young family, to the city where he [...]

2025-01-24T15:10:57-08:00June 27th, 2024|Who We Are, Learner Stories|

SelfDesign learner recognized as Youth Citizen of the Year in her community

In March this year, Evelyn received a phone call from the Rotary Club of Ashcroft/Cache Creek telling her they were recognizing her as the Youth Citizen of the Year for all the volunteer work she’d done over the two previous [...]

2024-06-20T12:52:38-07:00June 20th, 2024|Learner Stories|

At university and armed with full suite of learning skills:

Interview with SelfDesign alum Amanda, Class of 2020 Amanda finished her SelfDesign journey in 2020. She was one of the first group of learners who  piloted our integrated grade 10 to 12 program through its three-year rollout. Like many others [...]

2024-05-16T11:05:03-07:00May 16th, 2024|Learner Stories|

SelfDesign made learning fun and engaging in every aspect

Lia Meyer, Class of 2015, still feels that way Lia, a member of SelfDesign® Learning Community’s Class of 2015, came to Canada and Wondertree, SelfDesign’s predecessor in-person school, with her mother, River Meyer. They were living in Colorado when River [...]

2025-03-03T16:08:44-08:00April 10th, 2024|Learner Stories|
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