Final Day Celebration 01 Long Jump Supergirl! 02 Long Jump Superboy! 03 Races, then Leapfrog! 04 Hello from the Columbia River! 05 Let’s keep supporting each other as we build our homes! © 2024 All Rights Reserved. Facebook-f
Serving with satisfaction “If I am honest, getting my hands into clean dirt, physical exertion, and seeing nature’s beauty restored, is something I really enjoy! This week’s co-op service project was spring cleaning at our resident camp. Thank you co-op friends for making Optimist Camp more beautiful!” – William Hurtado © 2021 All Rights Reserved. […]
Step into the GARDEN2 For the second Spring garden service day, co-op students and parents painted garden stakes to be used in The Center community garden. The Center garden feeds hundreds of low-income individuals every year. This year, the garden will also be a part of the Master Gardener’s garden tour, where the vegetable stakes […]
Step into the Garden Spring gardening for the Highest Education co-op started! Why? Because “a garden is a grand teacher. It teaches patience and careful watchfulness; it teaches industry and thrift; above all, it teaches entire trust.” — Gertrude Jekyll © 2021 All Rights Reserved. Facebook-f Twitter
Even queen elizabeth ii needed an hour outside every day. Thankful for green spaces we can use. a little bouncing action about to Happen! side of the house pow-wow Like trees give their lives to humanity, parents give their lives to their children. Childern (and chickens) know the benefits of “free roaming.” Museum of creation! […]
Friends Helping Friends One of our precious families–the Ben & Christina George family–is moving away from our location. To bless them, our educational co-op did a service project at their house, to help them around the yard as they prepared their house for the market. Each family unit in our co-op shares a special gift. […]
Rivers are rich with symbolism Living next to rivers–and the Highest Education co-op spending time around them–brings out object lessons worth sharing. Below are nature’s elements we interacted with, giving us the opportunity to be inside of God’s creative expression. flow experience what we saw and heard 01 trees “Blessed is the one…whose delight is in […]
• Frisbee Games Day • outdoor movement & strategy ◦ Classic Frisbee Toss-and-Catch ◦ Ultimate Frisbee ◦ Frisbee Relay Race at our home base Optimist Camp in Battle Ground, WA, is our outdoor classroom home base. Next to the river and with large green spaces, we can be physically active and enjoy God’s creation. Highest […]
Wow! in the pacific northwest lies “the navel of the world.” learn more about beacon rock Born to explore Highest Education co-op families went to Beacon Rock for an adventure and outdoor day. It was all of it! 848 feet above sea level, we checked out the views with the soaring birds. Learn about our […]
Learning to speak the truth Hello, my name is… Recently co-op families came together to practice speech composition and delivery by describing items they brought from home. The premise behind the event was bigger than just learning to speak in public. Yes, students need to learn to speak publicly–with good articulation, cohesive eye and body […]
life happening in the darkness For the second time during this academic year, the co-op adventured to the Jane Webber Arboretum on the Columbia River waterfront. We set out to discover “life in the darkness of winter.” So much is moving and growing during the darker winter months. The caretaker, John, led us on a […]
Join the co-op Choose God’s love. The co-op met on Valentine’s day to share god’s love through music. People received valentines flowers as a gesture of love. Participants added to the sound of worship through shared instruments kids playing and adults singing made the Vancouver mall alive with praise! Ben & Christina Led in the […]
A person breathes approximately 20,000 times in one day So much active learning took place on the recent science learning day. The topic was the importance of air to our bodies. Learn More Students Performed STEM activities Using simple replications to explore how we breathe. Our 2 Lungs hold about 600 million Alveoli When you […]
A yearly tradition to enjoy time at the ice-rink continues! Families gathered and memories were made.
We went swimming and visited a restaurant chain owned by the same family who built the swimming pool. Thank you George Propstra and family!
When the co-op group visited an assisted living facility, the smiles and appreciation in the faces of residents was simply sweet.
Group time with friends in nature’s playground brings life and abundance to students.
We met at the Gow-Lee’s residence for the science learning day. The indoor set-up was a change of scenery from our recent outdoor adventures.
If it were possible, would you want to capture beauty forever? What is truly beautiful? What is truly worthy of praise?
Despite rain, co-op participants lit their camp fires. Not even heavy rain could stop them!
How Can Something Be So Deliciously Good and a the Same Time be So Terribly Bad?
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
“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 […]
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 […]
– 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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
“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, […]
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, […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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!
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!
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 […]
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. […]
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 […]
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 […]
https://youtu.be/Z072CaOqQ9M We finally made it to Round Lake Park! The weather was sunny and a bit warmer, just right for the group to enjoy hiking and riding. Some families were on spring break from their schools, so everyone enjoyed their company. We missed taking photos of some of our hikers, but we sure got video […]
Our co-op just got healthier by contributing to the process of feeding the hungry! Ten family units, or 25 children and parents, met at The Center’s organic community garden in Vancouver, WA. They came together to finish a garden-stake service project they began earlier in the month. The students engaged in experiential learning by getting […]
Everywhere we go, there are traces of God’s wonderful creation. Here in Washington State, mountains and rivers speak loudly of God’s delight in making beautiful landscapes. The Kalama River, 30 minutes north of Vancouver, WA, is one of those places. On Kalama River Rd is a 100 year old cabin with 160 feet of water […]
5 Miles Later–Healthier Bodies, Healthier Families Beginning at the Hantwick Rd parking area, Adventure Days families walked and biked to the Moulton Falls bridge, then made their way back, for a total of 5 miles! The Adventure Days group is a collection of parents who love to get outside and get exercise. They believe that…. […]
Click on the image below for the short video! What a fun day the Adventure Days group had last Wednesday! We went to our resident camp with the ultimate goal of service. We whittled large stake poles to make garden signs from. Beforehand all the children took a whittling class and made a pledge to […]
Acquainting Agriculture with Kris and Angela Frauenfelder It was a treat to have Kris and Angela join our Adventure Days group! Thanks to local church friends who connected the couple to the Homeschool group, Kris and Angela came to Optimist Camp and shared their knowledge about linking the Gospel to nature and gardening. Parents and […]
Beacon Rock State Park was Sublime! Less than an hour away from Vancouver, WA, is a unique landmark –an eroded lava plug –called Beacon Rock. Adventure Days families climbed the rock, hiked the forest trails, and spent time enjoying the Columbia River below. This Adventure day was different from others, as we had a morning […]
Snow Days at Summit Ski Hill! We had a near perfect day on the Summit ski hill on Mount Hood! Parents and children joined together for a day of fresh powder and kid fun. During Adventure Days, we usually gather for a few minutes to consider a spiritual lesson. Since it was not possible for […]
Snow Day with Blue Skies Our first snow day of the season was marvelous! We decided to go easy and hit up Snow Bunny Park. The snow in the morning was hard as rock, but as the day progressed, it softened and kids enjoyed it more and more. It did feel like a “beach day,” […]
Girl Teaches About the Gospel https://youtu.be/yE7jlxz3384 This Wednesday was our last indoor rock-climbing day for the 2021-2022 winter! Besides kids doing a lot of climbing and adults having conversations about life, faith, parenting, and education, we were happily surprised with an impromptu lesson from one of our young climbers. Now in her third day of […]
Five adventurous families came together to enjoy nature in our local camp this last Wednesday. With two fires going, and a roof over our heads, we made Christmas wreaths and enjoyed each other’s company. The children got their physical exercise, and all received the blessing of community. The ruggedness of camp reminded us of the […]
Our adventure day outings are not just for kids but for parents too. Parents need a strong village to help them raise their children. Most of us have our extended families and churches to connect with, which is great. But their sole purpose isn’t necessarily to empower you to educate your children for eternity. […]
Indoor rock climbing at its best! Adventure Days’ families, within the context of a loving community, tripled their rock climbing time in one day as they enjoyed climbing with friends. What we planned for to be one hour, turned out to be three. Kids climbed multiple routes. Some kids skipped lunch. Some raced each other […]
When we arrived at The Center Community Garden, the winds were blowing and the Sun was shining bright. Marilyn, the garden coordinator, already had dirt under her fingernails and was eager to get started with collecting the bags of leaves and showing the kids how to prepare them to make leaf mold. They had to […]
To be in nature; to be at camp! To play schoolhouse; to cook around the fire! To be outside; to be with friends! “Time spent amongst the trees is never wasted time.” – Katrina Mayer Our early Thanksgiving feast was really a free-play day immersed in nature. Kids played school, built forts, went fishing, played […]
There is so much to learn about trees! Did you know that… Being around trees makes you feel happier. Feeling sad? Spend a little time around trees, and your mood will lift. Trees share each others nutrients through their shared root systems. When one tree isn’t getting enough water, the other tree shares their nutrients. […]
When strollers go into three-wheel drive, you know there are tough moms in the group! One mom described this week’s Adventure Days as “Fall, forest fresh air and fun in fellowship with friends!” Thanks Mira for that fabulous description! The group adventured into the cougar trails, eventually finding Mill Creek and the historic cabin site. […]
With Fall colors and smiling faces at their brightest, the Adventure Days group of 25 pioneered back into the early 1800’s to make their own meals over the fire, hunt for fish, carve out tools, and learn in a pretend school-house. All enjoyed their time together, especially as they realized that being in the forest […]
The Adventure Days group went to the Salmon Creek Greenway Trail with a mission: To fulfill the Lit Challenge! Through a fun litter clean-up scavenger hunt, the group made the greenway trail a cleaner place. They also knew that some people who went there were lonely. That’s why the Lit Challenge was twofold: Pick-up litter, […]
Our growing group visited the Cedar Creek Grist Mill! The volunteers there have been there for 20 to 40 years! They made the Grist Mill come alive for us as the showed us how the turbine worked, and how the wheat grinder produced fine flour. They gave each of us a bag of flour to […]
Did you know that the Oregon-Washington border on the Columbia River could have been the American-Canadian border? Washington State could have been in Canada! But as it happened, Washington State was ceded by the British Empire in 1846, in accordance with the Oregon Treaty in the settlement of the Oregon boundary dispute. Fort Vancouver, near the shores of the Columbia […]
Trout fishing was never so easy! Rainbow Trout Farm in Sandy, OR, was the best place for kids (and adults) to feel success and satisfaction when fishing. We had to stop casting our fishing lines because we had already caught too many fish! What one catches is what one takes, “no throw backs.” We learned […]
We visited one of the 7 Wonders of Oregon today! The number of notable waterfalls in the Gorge is close to 50, so whittling them down to a single road trip naturally leaves some good ones out. We made it to Vista House on Crown Point, then drove the highway, then stopped at Multnomah Falls. […]
Day 2 of Adventure Days was on the golf course! There was heightened interest in golfing from the kids, so we made it to our local golfing course called The Cedars on Salmon Creek. Some kids golfed for the very first time, others golfed like pros. We definitely better understood what it means to push […]
Day 1: What a great start for Adventure Days! Five families came together to experience the very first Adventure Days ever! We enjoyed time together, brainstorming about future Adventure Days, river time, and an epic tug-of-war! The sun was out, the birds were singing, and we soaked up every minute of it.
School is here and so is Adventure Days! Adventure Days is a school-year version of Upstream Camp, with fun and instructive excursions throughout the year. Check out the details here. If your child is attending a traditional school, maybe you can pass this information to someone who could benefit from it. If you are interested, William […]