Who Goes?

Who are the students?

Everyone who attends Aperture Mind Camp is a student - we will all be learning.

If...

• you have a desire for intense work that is self-motivated and externally supported ( through mentors and the community) and you are between 15 and 19 years old,

• the idea of a immersion in a learning sanctuary where thought, creation, experimentation, practice and the sharing of ideas is the norm rather than the exception, 

• you are open to approaching learning from a different perspective and open to unexpected connections, ideas, problems, and challenges,

this camp is for you.

The camp is not for everyone, though.  

If you:

• Prefer short-term engagement with high turnover of ideas or problems

• Require grades, validation, or rewards

• Are seeking an entertaining (think "type 1 fun") summer holiday experience

• Find open-ended problems too vague to work with

the camp is not a good fit.  

Many educational environments work well with these elements but the Aperture Mind Camp is intentionally different.

Who are the mentors?

The camp's lead mentor is Court Ashbaugh - a senior math and physics/chemistry teacher and Head of Senior school at Coast Mountain Academy during the school year who also has interests in music, wilderness, and the design and manufacturing of collaborative games.

The lead mentor's main priority is to work with students and families during the application process to select, gather, and then direct the formation of an intense learning community. This will include discussions with students by email, phone, or in person.  You will feel familiar with the mentor on the first day of the camp.

Once the camp begins, the lead mentor will work directly with students both individually and with the whole group and will provide resources (including other mentors) as needed.

The mentor's main role is to bring out the highest engagement from each student in their pursuit of learning.