A Spark To Learning

Jerri Baker (left) and Laura Holt Erlig (right) holding the academy cookbook from 2012-2013.

California home-schooled youth have access to an alternative source for their education in the form of ONE SPARK ACADEMY, which provides a way to learn about some fascinating subjects. No, even though it is an academy, it's not a school. There are classes and teachers, but not a curriculum. Education is directed by parents or students; courses are not designed to meet all State requirements; that's part of the contract written between the State and the parents in their home-schooling contract.

What this program does provide is a fascinating array of courses designed for students in sixth to eight grades, but older students can also join. There are also enrichment courses available for 6th to 12th grade students. The program is an adjunct for students engaged in home-schooling or independent study, and even provides study sessions. In some ways, the program gives these students opportunities to engage in learning with other students their age, so the social aspects of the learning experience are not neglected.

The academy has a great line-up of teachers, including Laura Holt Erlig, who teaches science and nutrition. One of the courses that Ms Erlig designed is within the science of biomimicry. Students get to explore how technology can imitate nature in a sustainable way. It combines engineering, anatomy and physiology, biology, along with design. The emphasis is on creativity, being inventive. A learning spark can motivate students to explore further and develop solutions for worldwide issues.

Ms. Erlig has also developed a "Food Fascination" class; she started a garden to be part of the learning process with this course. So, students enrolled in this class can follow the food production process from seed planted in the garden, all the way to entree at a customer's table in a restaurant. Along the way, students get to learn alongside actual chefs, preparing food, learning recipes, measuring ingredients, and, yes, even tasting. What kid wouldn't want to learn that way? 

Students who are enrolled with One Spark Academy have a catalog of courses from which to choose. Some are enrichment, some are academic, and some are through CONEJO RECREATION AND PARKS DISTRICT. There are also activities and field trips that families can coordinate with their home-school learning contracts. The academy is a very rich resource for students who are nontraditional learners and keeps the spark of learning alive in its students' lives.

Some of the students learning hands-on with food.

Thanks to this article from Pollination Project: https://thepollinationproject.org/grants-awarded/laura-holt-erlig-one-spark-academy-thousand-oaks-ca/; and information from the academy's website.

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