My one wish for your 2023 is that plans become secondary to the delights found in spontaneity.

Your wildly authentic Spirit depends on you to follow the serendipitous threads of creativity wherever they may lead.  Don't be afraid to jump into the unexpected, new, and untried when the voice of inspiration whispers, in your ear, "let's do this!"  Simply trust that you will be pleasantly surprised by where you land.

Both Centers will be open January 3rd - and we are excited to welcome several new student members to our crews.  If you know someone looking for a different kind of educational experience, have them get in touch. 

Thank You to everyone who has shared their time, talent, and financial gifts with us this year. We are deeply grateful for our NoCo Community.

Merry Christmas from the entire Deep Root Center Crew.

...is worth a pound of cure, is one age-old adage that I wholeheartedly agree with, especially when placed in the context of societal ills.

Instead of supporting and nurturing our population, we expect folks (mostly the marginalized) to suck it up and "pull themselves up by the bootstraps," even if they are walking around barefoot (metaphorically or not).  

In the same vein, we know that school does not serve every child. There are so many bright, neurodivergent, hypersensitive, LGBTQ+, and fiercely creative kids who are not afraid to be authentic and who battle daily for space, support, and understanding.

Deep Root Center is here for them all - no matter their family's financial status. Please consider contributing so we can be that ounce of prevention for any child seeking us out - before they need a pound of cure and become another horrifying statistic, costing us all much more than you can even imagine. 

Thank you to everyone who came to our open houses over the past two Mondays. We enjoyed meeting you and sharing our vision.

Both Centers will be on Holiday Break beginning Wednesday, December 21st (Winter Solstice) and returning Tuesday, January 3rd. 

This is the time of year when budgetary reality hits (smacks us upside the head) - many of our financial obligations are due in January. We rely on you, our community, to get us over the hump. Especially now, as we build our three-year strategic plan with an eye on expanding into other NoCo communities that need us. We hear daily that our services are necessary to a growing number of young people - but we cannot do it without YOU! I am deeply grateful for every contribution. Thank you!

Best wishes for a peaceful holiday season to you all! 

With love and appreciation,
Maria

For a while, I used "unschooling" to explain what we do at DRC - but I always stopped mid-stream to say that I didn't like that word because it says what we are not instead of what we are - but I would use it until I had a better word to describe everything we do.

Now I do! "Free-Range" immediately conjures a positive mental picture. Most folks know the term when applied to farming techniques. Therefore, with that underlying understanding, I think it is the perfect way to describe self-directed learning philosophy and methodology.

When we say free-range, we mean young people are following their interests and actively seeking the information that is specifically and vitally important to each of them. They are playing, creating, and learning important life lessons within our safe, supportive, and nurturing community - where they know they belong and are cared for.

Like:

• K, who is building a model train village and rail yard in the DRC Canton basement and spends time each day researching train crashes and various trains around the world.
• K, an accomplished artist, who did an intricate pencil drawing of the home where the Texas chainsaw massacre took place and then built a Lego replica of it.
• E, a fierce five-year-old who is excited to learn about everything - but especially dinosaurs
• K and A, the six and fourteen-year-old best buddies, who enjoy building Roblox worlds together
• L, the five-year-old who will paint anything that isn't moving
• K, the fifteen-year-old who owns his own landscaping business
• M, a teen who discovered psychology and reads college-level textbooks, as well as Manga in his free time
• E, the nine-year-old who loves rocks, minerals, and fossils and loves to tell people about them
• M and V, the thirteen-year-olds who both adore the theater and have just begun to plan a full musical production in Canton...
  

You can support all of our amazingly creative free-range kids by contributing to Deep Root Center. 

DRC #FreeRange T-shirts and Hoodies
We are placing our order this coming Tuesday. If you would like one, please let me know, and I will get it on our order. You can choose black or purple shirts and either the Canton or East logo.
T-shirts are $20 and hoodies are $35. Available in youth and adult sizes.

At this time, every year, my internal batteries begin to run low (read - in the dead zone), and I am utterly exhausted by overwhelming frustration, worry, and external stimuli. And every year, when my neurodivergent, introverted brain says, "please let me hibernate for a couple of months," I am revived with thoughtful comments, kind gestures, and gentle reminders that my efforts are appreciated by many kids and their families.

And just like that, I am jolted back to my "why." 

• all kids (neurodivergent, LGBTQIA+, etc.) are worthy of a safe space to be their authentic selves 
• learning is natural - therefore, school is optional
• young people will naturally follow their interests and learn all they need to know to achieve their ambitions
• play is the key to all learning
• every child is brilliant
• I am on this earth to support and facilitate all of the above 
• and I am inspired every day by these brilliant kiddos

As mentioned last week, DRC is on the cusp of growing to accommodate all of the families who seek our services. We do not refuse any of them - no matter their financial circumstances. This year alone we are on track to provide over 150k in fee reductions.

There are many ways to help - 

• Purchase any item on our Amazon Wishlist. It will be sent directly to us. 
• Contribute through Venmo - @whole_learners (3034)
  
• Volunteer at one of our Centers. We welcome community members who are excited about sharing interests and talents.
• Sponsorship 

Open House

Join us tomorrow, Dec. 5th, from 4-7, in Canton to meet our staff, board, and some of our student members. Bring your questions about our programs, and you will have the opportunity to make suggestions for our future growth.

And join us at DRC - East in Massena Monday, the 12th.