A live demonstration gave kids and parents a clear understanding on how the turbine wheel works. There is nothing like active, hands-on, real-life learning, which is what Highest Education is about!
The co-op’s trip to Vancouver Fort was perfect–or close to it! We Welcomed Two New Co-Op Families, Then Gathered For Prayer. Soon after, the ranger began the tour to the different buildings.
“My aim is to know him, and to experience the power of His resurrection.” Philippians 3:10 Our aim was off! As beginner disc golfers, most Highest Education co-op participants were not close to hitting par. Discs landed in the brush, discs hit trees, and one got stuck on a roof. But the good news is […]
When God “took the man and settled him in the garden of Eden to cultivate and care for it” (Genesis 2:15), did God establish an ideal for human activity? Was it His command to all generations? Did He design it as a law of life? During the co-op’s urban homesteading day, we visited one of […]
No one expected this to happen; but it did. Thankfully, no one was injured in this train wreck. Could this disaster have been easily prevented? https://youtu.be/9f3dYY5LrsM
The garden at The Center Community Services is an urban sanctuary for people in need and for Highest Education co-op families. Children and parents walk the garden rows with carefree spirits, not worried about activities in the city streets. However, they know this garden is for people “out there.” The poor, the hurting, and the […]
The Vancouver/Portland-area Highest Education Co-Op is up and running. Watch the video below to learn what makes it so fun and necessary for families. Regular time outdoors with guided instruction to build children’s character muscles is so important! And so are regular service activities to help lead kids into a life of service. How about […]
On a road-trip of a lifetime, two women and their crew experience one mishap after another. Life doesn’t always go the way we planned it!
A young boy found himself at a special place in the Waldensian valley in the hill country of Italy. White there, he sensed the same purpose other young people many years later sensed at a camp called Upstream Camp.
From the outside I looked like a really nice church kid, and I’m sure I was. But there was a whole different side of me–one I wish I was never like! https://youtu.be/F45ZMIVsuHc
Our last Adventure Days of the school year was at a 93-acre regional park located on the Columbia River. The Captain William Clark Regional Park at Cottonwood Beach was a fun place to test our abilities and to enjoy the Columbia river. Looking back, we had a great Adventure Days year and are so thankful to […]
Wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight; stop doing wrong.17 Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed.Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow. 18 “Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the Lord.“Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow;though they are red as […]
People who live near rivers often delight in them, swimming, floating, fishing, boating. William lives surrounded by six beautiful rivers, and his summer camp is on the shores of one of them. https://youtu.be/-exp9YagTsI
“In singing birds and opening blossoms, in rain and sunshine, in summer breeze and gentle dew, in ten thousand objects in nature, from the oak of the forest to the violet that blossoms at its root, is seen the love that restores. And nature still speaks to us of God’s goodness.” Visiting Ridgefield National Wildlife […]
Get Ready for This Summer’s Upstream Camp!June 26-30, 2023This year will be Upstream Camp’s fourth year of operation! Each year a theme revolving around “going against the flow” is chosen. This year, the theme is “Returning to Eden.” How do we live on earth with an energy toward Heaven? Envision a theme around returning to […]
Vancouver-area Highest Education families are wonderful! As they gather every week, they share friendship AND they represent family units around the nation seeking God’s best for their children. Spending time serving in a garden helps kids stay grounded. It’s easy to lose touch with how our physical subtanance is created. The Highest Education model encourages […]
Let me tell you why you are here. You’re here to be salt-seasing that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? Matthew 5:13, MSG Previous Next Salimetry is the art of measuring the amount of salt in a substance. How salty is sea water, for […]
Investing in family is ALWAYS a good investment! The April 5,6 parenting training seminar gave heads-of-households and child-guardians important knowledge and practical tools to lead their children to Christ. Held at the Samaritan Center in Ooltewah, TN, the seminar trained a dozen parents, grandparents, and child workers. The two introductory sessions will help parents step […]
The first home-church day was absolutely wonderful. The people, the learning, the stories, memorizing scripture, singing songs, playing in the woods, sun, rain–all of it, was heavenly. Thanking God for it all!
– By Rebekah Oster Such a beautiful, fun and adventurous day yesterday with our homeschool co-op! The kids (and adults) had some obstacles to go through while hiking/biking on some difficult trails, but they all made it to the “finish line”. It’s like that on our walk with Jesus too. The enemy will put many […]
https://youtu.be/B0W8kPuE2ls Do you believe the Lord will keep his promise to you? The one promise of eternal value is your life transformed by the work of the Holy Spirit; That salvation through Jesus Christ will be birthed in you and you will be whole. “Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will […]
Show & Tell at Hockinson Meadows Community Park was so much fun! Watch the fun video below. https://youtu.be/tXSD59ZdERs It’s always fun to show & tell about things we love. Here is a challenge and a calling: Show & tell about your faith in Christ! Be a living witness of the goodness of God in your […]
The king had a beautiful flower garden, but he needed a gardener. How would he find a gardener he could trust? https://youtu.be/IplC8NFRjio
https://youtu.be/7ilwV-h8thk How different are we from each other? Flesh and bones; cells and neurons; sinners who are terminal. We are all basically the same. A homeless man with a drug problem is not much different than a five year-old girl with a loving family. “For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of […]
Skiing or snowboarding levels are a good example of God’s plan for you. God made to go to the next level, from green, to blue, to black, to double black! https://youtu.be/nQuNzkXjR3w
Dear parents, Tag, you’re it–and no tag backs! Love, your faith leaders. Through a winter storm, families gathered for Adventure Days to ice skate again. Two guest families joined the group at Mountain View Ice Arena and had a great time. The group played tag on ice…a bit scary, but a lot of fun! “Tag, […]
By Becky Oster Seed starting day was a sunny success! The group planted a variety of tomato seeds. The seeds will go on to make plants that will produce many tomatoes, which will then be distributed to those in need. What a beautiful ministry! “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a […]
Did you know bats send out sounds from their mouths to know exactly where to go? This emitting of signals is called echolocation, and they are essential to its flight. As it flies, high-pitched noises are emitted at the rate of 30 per second. As the echoes are bounced back from objects, the bat sends […]
“Who is more foolish, a child afraid of the dark or the man afraid of the light?” Our job as parents is to not be afraid of what our children can do through Christ, so our children can learn to not be afraid of their fullest potential. Little kids and teens CAN do big things. […]
https://youtu.be/3yVEIUqovZI – By William Hurtado A parent-friend of mine, who helped organize the day’s ice-skating outing with our home-school co-op, told me something instructive while we were skating together. As we skated side-by-side, she said an instructor had recently helped her improve her skating skills. The instructor had taught her a simple mantra, “Look Down, […]
A friend of mine from the co-op decided to enroll her kids in Classical Conversations. She brings her kids to Adventure Days on Wednesdays when she can, and on Thursdays she takes her kids to Classical Conversations. Bonnie is doing her utmost to raise her family in God’s ways. She is a valued friend whose […]
Battle Ground Lake’s depth is believed to be about 60 feet near the center of the lake, but a few lake users have reported deeper regions believed to be volcanic cracks in the bedrock supporting the lake basin. Louise McKay Allworth Tucker, a local historian to Battle Ground, WA, explains in her book that, although unproven, […]
Do you ever feel discouraged when you’ve surrendered to the Lord and still nothing seems to be happening? Here is a story I told to encourage you! https://youtu.be/P-65M8rOrGY
Going Back to a Simple Life is Not a Step Backwards https://youtu.be/Q2yrJ8WwsiE Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia, said “going back to a simple life is not a step backwards.” Is he right? He gave his company away and still isn’t happy that he is still wealthy. Most people work all their lives to make a […]
January Update–This year, don’t “let your quest for balance become an excuse for not taking the unique, radical moves God is directing you to take.
Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me, and I learn. Previous Next A blazing start it was for the The Adventure Days Co-Op! The new year began with an extraordinary tour of Vancouver’s Fire Department #2, thanks to firefighter George Wilkinson and Nikki Smith who arranged it. The Highest Education […]
How big is your God? Being in the presence of Mount St Helens on May 18, 1980, as the mountain erupted, must have made area residents feel pretty small in the face of its power. The Mount St Helens eruption equaled to 1 atomic bomb detonating per second for 9 straight hours. That’s a continuous […]
As we enter into the joyful holiday season, it is important to remember the holidays are times for celebration but also present challenges for some children and families who have experienced loss. We don’t mean little loss, but big loss. The kind that Jesus and his community experienced. https://youtu.be/jqrEE8mfFLY Data shows us that 45% of […]
What was once a beautiful Christmas tree became a Charley Brown tree. Watch this story to find out who it happened to! https://youtu.be/NXGQvPM2Flk
William Franklin Graham Jr. was an American evangelist and an ordained Southern Baptist minister who became well known internationally in the late 1940s. He was a prominent evangelical Christian figure, and according to a biographer, was “among the most influential Christian leaders” of the 20th century. Discussion Questions: What is the most important institution in […]
When in doubt, go back to the basics! Soil that is used has its nutrients depleted from it. It needs new nutrients put back into the soil through compost. Similarly, children who live in a broken world need constant infusions of spiritual nutrition. That nutrition, like compost, needs to be laid on top of the […]
The Bible Memory App is the only complete Bible memory system that makes it easy for you to memorize, organize, and review verses. You can memorize Bible verses fast by actively engaging 3 separate cognitive areas: kinesthetic (touch), visual, and auditory memory. The Bible Memory App is known by different names, but they point to […]
The Knowledge Bank is the content that many families need to break past social norms pulling them away from God’s ideal. Through doorways–or programs–family members can access the character-building currency to make their lives richer with God’s character.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Xb27D1Ti1w&ab_channel=HighestEducation Wholesome education includes regular time in nature, bonding with God’s creation. It is easy to spend time indoors, in a gym, or in play areas with dominantly human-made constructions. All these spaces are perfectly okay–unless they replace the value of recreation and time in nature. “Nature and revelation alike testify of God’s love…All who are […]
Benjamin Solomon Carson Sr. is an American retired neurosurgeon and politician who served as the 17th United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development from 2017 to 2021. A pioneer in the field of neurosurgery, he was a candidate for President of the United States in the 2016 Republican primaries. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ck2flZZ7V0&ab_channel=Timeline-WorldHistoryDocumentaries Discussion Questions: Does Ben […]
William Hurtado is the founder and director of Highest Education, a family discipleship training ministry. He pastored youth and their families for over 20 years. He now visits churches and schools to connect people with God’s purpose for their families. His passion will energize you to bless your own family with God’s best. William lives […]
Focus on the Family is a global Christian ministry since 1977 dedicated to helping families thrive. They provide help and resources for couples to build healthy marriages that reflect God’s design, and for parents to raise their children according to morals and values grounded in biblical principles. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGLL3PBeKC4&list=RDCMUCnJ4_k4JY_O45NdJHoLxjJA&start_radio=1&ab_channel=FocusontheFamily Discussion Questions: Which topic did you focus […]
Dan Allender, Ph.D, is a prominent Christian therapist, author, professor, and speaker focusing on sexual abuse and trauma recovery, as well as story, marriage and family. He pioneered a unique and innovative approach to trauma and abuse therapy over the past 30 years. The Allender Center at The Seattle School is a training and transformation […]
With some families out from being sick or other needs, a small group began studies in emotional intelligence for the co-op class. Such an important topic! For Adventure Days, we started Geo Caching at the Vancouver waterfront. Such great fun. And we got our exercise in fresh air!
Andy Stanley is the founder and senior pastor of North Point Ministries, a nondenominational evangelical Christian church. He is the author of more than 20 books, including Better Decisions, Fewer Regrets. In 2017, a survey of U.S. pastors in Outreach magazine identified Stanley as one of the ten most influential living pastors in America. In […]
Ken Ham is the founder, CEO, and former president of Answers in Genesis, a Christian apologetics organization that operates the Creation Museum and the Ark Encounter. His life and message represent how families were designed to be. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5ujsNj_S7g&ab_channel=AnswersinGenesis Discussion Questions: Why are there no white or black people? What pigment in your body defines our […]
John Bunyan (1628-1688) was an English preacher and writer. While imprisoned for preaching the Gospel without receiving permission from the Established Church, he wrote The Pilgrim’s Progress. It became one of the most important christian allegories in modern history, now it is a timeless christian classic. It helps people like you understand how to grow […]
Pastor Doug Batchelor is an energetic speaker of vision and deep spirituality, with an unusual ability to communicate not only to church-oriented people, but also the secular-minded. As president of Amazing Facts, he can be seen on national cable networks and heard on more than 125 radio stations across the United States. He is also […]
As a young teen, William Hurtado made a critical mistake that damaged his aunt’s vehicle. What happened? Find out here.
Neil Nedley, MD is a practicing physician in Internal Medicine with an emphasis in Gastroenterology, Mental Health, Lifestyle Medicine, and the difficult-to-diagnose patient. He developed the highly successful 10-day residential Depression Recovery Program for treatment resistant depression and anxiety. This presentation was produced by Gary Kent, Speaker of The Incredible Journey https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5uBK13ya0c&ab_channel=TheIncredibleJourney Depression is an […]
This last Wednesday our time was spent memorizing scripture and talking about service! We also implemented our service ideas and will hopefully bring a smile to our neighbors. Check out a couple scriptures and neighborhood drawings below. Thank you Nikki for leading out in our service/outreach ministry!
Ty Gibson is a speaker/director for Light Bearers and pastor of the Storyline Church. A passionate communicator with a message that opens minds and moves hearts, Ty teaches on a variety of topics, emphasizing God’s unfailing love as the central theme of the Bible. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfKAoYhY8mU&ab_channel=PioneerMemorialChurch Discussion Questions: A young woman named Mindy was being who […]
Chosen as one of America’s 20 superheroes of health, Hans Diehl is a best-selling author, researcher, speaker and clinical professor of preventive medicine at Loma Linda University. He is in the forefront of the emerging field of lifestyle medicine. Through his world-class CHIP program, he advocates a simpler, saner diet that prevents, arrests, and reverses […]
Dallas Jenkins is an American film and television director, writer and film producer. He is best known as the creator, director and co-writer of The Chosen, the first multi-season series about the life of Jesus of Nazareth, and the most successful media crowd-fund of all time. Play episode 5 of season 1, beginning at 19:50. […]
Martin Cothran is the Editor of The Classical Teacher magazine and Instructor of Latin, logic, and rhetoric at Highlands Latin School in Louisville, Kentucky. Mr. Cothran serves as Senior Policy Analyst at The Family Foundation of Kentucky. Play his message below. Discussion Questions: What is classical education? According to Classical Academic Press, “classical education is […]
Paul David Washer is a Christian speaker affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention. He gives solid practical and biblical pointers for having a family centered on Christ. Press play to watch! Discussion Questions: How can we maintain joy in our home? How do we know our kids are truly saved? What is parental authority? Why […]
Meet People Who Have a Heart Like Yours! Christina is one of our new family members at Highest Education. She parents three beautiful children and loves her hard-working husband. Soon after joining, Christina began sharing one of her spiritual gifts with the group. She became our co-op lunch-snack queen! On Wednesdays’ she brings yummy home-made muffins, […]
Early American History Re-Enactments Help Us Value Simplicity and Courage Cooking over an open flame helps us be more confident in our ability to take care of our own bodies. Mindful eating is about awareness. When you eat mindfully, you slow down, pay attention to the food you’re eating, and savor every bite. Susan Albers […]
During “communion service” at a traditional church, fancy cup and bread holders are placed on a table. What really happened on that Last Supper evening with Jesus and his disciples? https://youtu.be/YfjV9a5sVzQ
Home Education Co-Op Launched: Can you imagine a group of supporters, visionaries, and parents coming together to form the ideal school day? We know kids need parents for guidance, scholastics for knowledge, service for character formation, and nature for recreation. Through your support, we have upgraded our Highest Education co-op to include all four components, […]
While we can’t control the weather (this week’s late summer mid-70’s temperature was perfect), we can be intentional in defining an ideal learning experience. Previous Next Our two co-op classes are just enough to get information into our young learners AND into our parent’s minds as well. Bible and Personal Leadership, and Anatomy and Physiology, […]
The 2022-2023 school year comes with a big UPGRADE! Now with Adventure Days recreation comes a rhythm of classes and service. We gather at 10am, begin with Bible and Personal Leadership class, then a specialty class. The first specialty unit is Anatomy and Physiology. At noon we break for lunch, then flow right into service. […]
One of the best memories of my life! My daughter’s baptism in the PNW waters. 100 degree weather meant warmer water and an opportunity to experience spiritual community in nature. PLUS more took place this last month, all worth reading about.
Love and Logic trainer and Highest Education Director, William Hurtado, spent time at Northwest Christian School training the staff on Love and Logic principles. Like most parochial and public schools, a mix of students attend–both good and some rough around the edges–giving recess supervisors, hallway monitors, and other staff a challenging experience keeping things orderly. […]
Upstream Camp was a great success! So thankful to God for His blessings over all the campers and staff. And so thankful to you for your prayers and support. Enjoy the photos and videos!
YOUR day-camp, next month! The last two years of Upstream Camp were amazing and Holy Spirit filled. Please join me in prayer, for God to reveal Himself in ways we could not have planned.
A wild story of a man who was attacked by a bear. What is the right thing to do when a bear attacks you? What did this man do?
Instead of Track & Field day, it was Track & Beach day. Beach play was the first activity. Then dune jumps, the sprint run, and finally the long jump. Of course, we didn’t track of all the other activities, like a visit to the beach neighbor who caught an 18lb salmon! The competition at Track […]
Our day at the Oregon Human Society (OHS) was very interesting! First of all, it was surprising to see the grandeur of the animal shelter. In fact, “animal shelter” is by no means a fitting description. A university extension campus, (OHS is partnered with Oregon State University), is more apropos! Here are 10 surprising facts […]
Peaceful Waters in Battle Ground? It was ironic that the Adventure Days group experienced peaceful waters at Battle Ground Lake State Park. There was not battle–at least not that could be seen. Battles were taking place in people’s minds, however. Each adult (and most kids) at the lake probably had something they worried about. Being […]
God gave us a sunny day to visit the Wildlife Botanical Gardens. The gardens are a cohesive blend of ten specialty theme gardens, spread over three acres. We walked the garden paths, taking photos of flowers and plants that we especially liked. But the kids kept wondering, “when are we going to the ponds?” The […]
As they walked nonchalantly down the trail, parents chatted about life and family. The moms came to an opening in the trail where a shelter is. There they realized they did not know where most of their kids were. But after asking one of the older boys where the kids were, the following happened–watch the […]
Hailu and Clair Gabriel gave us a tour of their 1.5 acre property–a permaculture project we enjoyed and learned from. From hazelnut trees to guild orchards, we learned how plans can be grouped to bless each other. We also learned how some invasive species–like ivy–can be hard to root out. One life lesson from pulling […]
New format this month! We moved from a JPEG newsletter to the standard HTML newsletter. Same current updates on ministry, life, and what God is doing through earthlings like us.
78th St Heritage Farm… has a long history of farming and agricultural research that dates back to 165 when William and Sarah Anderson, some of hte early pioneers in the area acquired the land and established a dairy farm. It was placed on the Washington Historic Register in 2012 and the National Register of Historic […]