CORE VALUES
Community
Developing a sense of community and a sense of place is an essential component of the Rural Aspirations Project. Involvement within the community enhances the knowledge of local ways and culture, leading students toward engagement, service, and revitalization while incorporating a global perspective. We aspire to develop programming that leads students to become involved in the wellness of self and others, both essential to a sound and active community.
Honoring the Learner
The value of intrinsic motivation is paramount to the development of lifelong learning skills. When students learn to engage in and connect to their learning, positive aspirations soon follow. Learning opportunities will be supportive and diverse, grounded in community, creativity and choice. The Rural Aspirations Project seeks to develop programming that personalizes academic skill development through a variety of activities including individual/group coursework, collaborative learning models, thematic pathways and place-based learning opportunities.
Educational Philosophy
Students learn best when they are immersed, engaged and invested in their education. Carefully guided, authentic, project-based learning, and inquiry-based experiences attract and stimulate the innate curiosity of students and teachers. The curriculum must create relevant, project-based, authentic learning opportunities.
Entrepreneurial
Rural Aspirations Project models may engage students in a variety of entrepreneurial opportunities throughout their educational experiences. Schools, communities, and students could create and sustain a vision for a project and develop creative solutions through collaboration and the use of real life problem-solving techniques. Staff, citizens, and students will be challenged to continuously grapple with potential ethical dilemmas associated with being socially and environmentally conscious while sustaining profitable rural business models.
Honoring Diversity
The Rural Aspirations Project believes strongly in honoring the diversity within rural communities amongst peers, school staff, and community members. Our programs are based on being aware of others, honoring the integrity of our work, our communities, our education and our fellow citizens. Through the adoption of Rural Aspirations projects, students will develop a sense of pride toward their school, their communities, their work and their potential. Project-based learning opportunities will encourage students to reach out and develop meaningful relationships with people of other perspectives in order to understand complex local and global issues.