Meet a Founder
“Children learn best when they're solving problems that matter to them.” - Josh Dahn, co-founder of Synthesis
By the time I heard that quote, I was already living it. I wasn’t waiting to be taught, but followed my curiosity wherever it led. My education hasn’t been exactly normal, but I wouldn’t change it for the world. I have educational freedom.
Most people picture school as desks in a row, tests, and grades that define how smart you are. They think of education as putting aside things you’re interested in to memorize useless facts. My learning experience has looked nothing like that. Instead, I’ve had to think critically, work at my own pace, follow my interests, and learn by doing—sometimes failing, sometimes surprising myself, but always growing. Instead of being on someone else’s timeline, I’ve been free to spend as much time as I please on my passions and strengths, and as much time as I need on the things I struggle with.
My learning journey began at a Montessori school, which provided me with a foundation in self-paced, interest-driven learning. Since I was accustomed to choosing my work and managing my time, I easily adapted to self-directed learning. This made the transition to homeschooling easy when my parents decided to take me out of school. I enjoyed the freedom it gave me to learn what I wanted when I wanted. I began dreaming of starting my own business. Since I was homeschooled, I had the time and resources to learn how to make that a reality.
The most valuable lessons I’ve learned haven’t come from textbooks, but from dealing with real-world problems. These experiences have changed the way I look at education, and I’m grateful I had them. My family and I traveled full-time in an RV for almost 3 years allowing me to experience over half of the United States. It gave me the opportunity to see how other people live and experience life. I was also able to participate in a program called Synthesis Teams: a collaborative online school born at SpaceX. There I learned how to lead a team, communicate effectively, tackle complex problems, and deal with difficult people. I’ve had the opportunity to volunteer in my community which has given me valuable real-world experience. I’m actively working on starting my first official business. None of this would have been possible if I was traditionally schooled.
Instead of studying businesses, I created some: Spark and Grove, and For Him Faith. I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit; I sold art sculptures and handmade items to friends and family when I was six years old. I also participated in kids markets selling my handmade items. This only kindled the fire that I had for starting my own business. Through brand design, curricula development, and bible study creation, I have been building my skills to further pursue my dream.
Looking back now I can see that unconventional learning didn’t shape just my education, it shaped me. The lessons I’ve learned through doing have taught me more than anything in the classroom ever could.
