You may remember from a previous blog post that Saint Louis Sudbury School student, Veda, was accepted into a summer art program at The Putney School and attended this past summer! We sat down with Veda recently and asked her some questions about the summer experience.
How did you feel at the beginning of your stay and how did you feel at the end? How did you grow?
I felt uneasy and skeptical at the beginning. My lack of phone was less upsetting and more thrilling and humbling. I think during the entire time of Putney I became less reliant on my phone (as expected). I would be in a moment where I’d want to take a picture but only have my poor-quality camera or I’d get mildly bored and want to doom scroll. It was good for me. I think the biggest thing is that I became so much less addicted to social media and don’t catch myself on it nearly as often anymore (from 5+ hours a day to under an hour consistently). The lack of screens and lack of access to the outside world was probably the best part of this art camp. I was ignorant to the world outside of Putney and it did wonders for my mental health. I enjoy staying up to date on what’s happening in the world but having the freedom and not knowing for a month was truly amazing for me.
What was the tech use policy there and how was that for you?
There was a ‘no internet-ready devices allowed policy.’ No device that could be connected to Wi-Fi was allowed. MP3 players with predownloaded music were allowed. The lack of devices wasn’t an issue for me. A bit uncomfortable in the beginning but I adapted quickly.
What was it like being away from friends and family?
It was both scary and freeing. I felt like I could be myself completely without directly influencing my younger siblings. Having no friends in the beginning wasn’t intimidating because NO ONE had friends yet. Just 100 teenage campers who didn’t know each other or anyone at camp.
Did anything surprise you about the experience at Putney?
I was surprised about how amazing the food was. The kitchen staff did an amazing job and I was so grateful every time I grabbed a plate to eat.
How did being a Sudbury student help prepare you for your summer art program at Putney?
I was already used to self-directed education so it was easier for me to teach myself techniques and allow myself to branch out and try new stuff without being my own worst critic and internally worrying about what others may think of my work.
Did you find anything in particular at Putney challenging?
The consistent schedule of waking up at 7:30 am and going to sleep after 10:30 pm was probably the worst thing. The only time we actually got to sleep in was on ‘lazy Sundays’ (every Sunday) but one day of sleeping in each week doesn’t make up for the restlessness from the other 6 days.
Are you thinking about doing another summer program away from home again?
It’s possible. If I did go to another summer camp, I may try Putney again. But it’s not a priority to go to a summer program away from home again.
What was your favorite food to eat at Putney?
Okay, honestly? Rice crispy treats. The kitchen made amazing food 4 times a day and I ate amazing. But the rice crispy treats kept my blood sugar up between meals when I was insanely sweaty and exhausted because of all the walking and lack of AC.
Thanks Veda and congrats on the summer adventure!
Connecting and Learning
Just like Saint Louis Sudbury School students, adults in our community enjoy learning, being curious, and connecting with others! During our summer break, Saint Louis Sudbury School staff, board, and volunteers celebrated the thinking and planning time we had away from the regular school day to take a fresh look on the upcoming school year. We are excited to kick off our 2025-2026 school year on Tuesday, September 2!
Here are some activities that we did this summer to help spark new ideas and support our entire learning community this school year:
* We attended the Alternative Education Resource Organization conference in New Hampshire and had incredible conversations with colleagues from Macomber Center, Embark Center for Self-Directed Education, Sudbury Valley School, Not Back to School Camp, and Play Mountain Place and heard talks from Pat Farenga and Peter Gray. Read our blog post on this experience!
* We talked with school and nonprofit organization colleagues at MAP St. Louis, Fort Worth Sudbury, Raritan Learning Cooperative, The Ethical Society of St. Louis, Bread and Roses Missouri, Tower Grove Farmers’ Market, River City Outdoors, Embark Center, The Clearwater School, MADE Makerspace, St. Louis Public Library, and Sudbury International. We can’t wait to talk with Saint Louis Sudbury School students and families about some potential activities and event ideas that came out of these conversations.
* We enjoyed meeting with Intersect Arts Center’s incredible staff to find new ways we can collaborate.
* We learned so much from Blue Mesa Creative and improved our google business profile, how we show up in searches, and backend elements of our web site.
* Sudbury staff member, Jennifer, talked with writer and podcaster Kerry McDonald and was featured in Kerry’s article on forbes.com.
* We met with St. Louis teaching artists and education entrepreneurs.
* We talked with new donors and received our largest individual cash gift in our school’s history!
* We spent time together with current families at park meetups, picnics, and a fun volunteer session at the St. Louis Area Foodbank.
* We joined the planning committee for Sudbury International’s new virtual book club! More details to come.
* We kept our garden at school thriving over the summer so we can continue to enjoy fresh veggies this fall. Sudbury families and staff worked together to water, weed, trim (our pumpkin vines are VERY happy), and harvest kale, basil, tomatoes, peppers, and more.
* We attended the Sudbury Schools Virtual Conference which was organized by The Open School in California. Over 50 attendees from 25 schools and 5 different countries participated! We had discussions about building community and traditions, how AI is changing education, supporting teens for life after Sudbury, neurodiversity and communication, democracy in our schools, accountability systems, attracting new families, and much more.
* We read and listened to many resources over the summer including: The End of Education As We Know It: Regenerative Learning for Complex Times by Ida Rose Florez; The Parent’s Handbook to Unschooling Yourself by Esther Jones; The Disengaged Teen: Helping Kids Learn Better, Feel Better, and Live Better by Jenny Anderson and Rebecca Winthrop; The Self-Driven Child: The Science and Sense of Giving Your Kids More Control Over Their Lives by William Stixrud and Ned Johnson; the work of The Rithm Project; Joyful Learning by Kerry McDonald; and many more!
* We connected with new families who learned about us from our recent features with Children’s Education Alliance of Missouri, forbes.com, and St. Louis Magazine.
* We met with Saint Louis Sudbury School board members about financial sustainability, our bylaws, and what to prioritize this year.
* We kept in touch with current Saint Louis Sudbury School families and heard about some of the fun learning experiences their kids were having this summer including stringing guitars, going fishing, building dreamcatchers, attending an art program out of state, going on road trips, working, and more. Sudbury staff will check in with students the first week of school to see if they want to continue any of their summer projects or interests at Sudbury this fall.
Maybe that wasn’t much of a “real” break this summer… but we were grateful for a bit more time and space to reimagine the reimagining of education at Sudbury!
Children's Education Alliance of Missouri
We were excited to welcome Cici Tompkins, Director of Outreach at the Children’s Education Alliance of Missouri (CEAM) to our school for a wonderful visit! Be sure to read the blog post Cici wrote about her experience at Sudbury.
CEAM is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that supports effective schools of all kinds and believes all Missouri students deserve access to a quality education, now. They support measures that will cultivate more quality education options by raising awareness and helping parents and others take action.
“In a city filled with traditional classrooms, Saint Louis Sudbury School offers a radically different model—one where students learn without mandatory curriculum, grades, tests, or homework. For many, especially those who are neurodivergent or haven’t thrived in conventional schools, this approach is not just different—it’s transformative.”
AERO Conference
Saint Louis Sudbury staff and board members attended the Alternative Education Resource Organization conference (AERO) in Manchester, New Hampshire June 27-29, 2025. Founded in 1989 by Jerry Mintz, AERO’s goal is to advance student-driven, learner-centered approaches to education.
We had a wonderful time learning, connecting, asking questions, and getting to know a wide range of alternative education organizations, researchers, students, and parents. Some conference highlights included:
* Talking with colleagues at Macomber Center, Embark Center, Sudbury Valley School, and Play Mountain Place in between sessions and at meals
* Hearing Pat Farenga speak about “Schooling as Social Ritual: Reclaiming Public Spaces for Learning and Friendship
* Unschooler Mason Ember sharing his trailer for a new documentary about the lives of homeschooled teens
* Getting a better sense of how sociocracy works at Embark Center
* Hearing from Macomber Center staff about how they started their school from scratch and how they support young people interested in college
* Hearing Peter Gray share his research and insights about “How Restrictions on Children’s Freedom Impair Their Mental Health: a 75-Year History of Childhood in America
* Hearing Mikel Matisoo discuss how democracy works at Sudbury Valley School
* Learning how Elizabeth Radday plans and implements personal interest projects with youth
* Discovering the Ashram School and rethinking what democracy is for
* And much more!
It was an inspiring and energizing experience and Sudbury staff and board have some new ideas and plans to help grow Saint Louis Sudbury School.
Bunny Visit
One of the most memorable and much loved moments at Saint Louis Sudbury School this school year was a bunny visit! Lauren of Hop and Harvest is a Holland Lop breeder and brought several baby bunnies to school. We learned about what they eat, their life cycle, behaviors, different breeds, how to take care of them, and much more. Plus, it was cuteness overload (some students cried at how sweet the bunnies were) and everyone felt so calm and happy during and after the visit. One student suggested that we have bunny visits ALL the time next year. A huge thank you to Lauren for sharing her knowledge, experience, and bunnies with us!
Graduation Ceremony
Saint Louis Sudbury School celebrated three graduates on May 31, 2025 at a local park. Staff member Jennifer Lin shared some remarks along with the help of students Veda and Hope (because Jennifer was losing her voice due to allergies!). Here is Jennifer’s speech.
”At many end of year gatherings, at many schools, awards are given out. They’re given to students for perfect attendance, most improved, best team player, best attitude, most helpful, outstanding athlete, and many more. As you can probably guess, we don’t do awards like that at Sudbury because we believe that young people are the ones who can determine their worth as they come to trust and respect themselves and their community each day at Sudbury. But for a fun exercise, I thought I would share some ideas for special shoutouts to Sudbury young people.
Those certificates of recognition might include students who:
Welcomed new people (parents included!) and helped them ease into a radically different view of what school can be
Listened to a friend who was stressed and struggling
Problem solved every day–with creativity and care
Collaborated with students and staff to create new rules or policies
Grew self-awareness as they discovered who they are
Developed a better understanding of how to “read the room” and make choices that reflect that situational awareness
Changed their ability to say yes to new things that seemed outside of their comfort zone
Played around with the ever changing dynamic of being independent and asking for help
Found the humor and joy in life
Found a personal purpose in tasks and responsibilities
Pursued their interests, large and small
Made countless decisions from the moment they signed in at school
Organized, facilitated, and planned activities and meetings
And, shared their wonderful view of life with the Sudbury community
These “achievements” don’t represent the “best” or the “most,” but they add up to living life, growing, and understanding how to be an aware human in a rapidly changing world (AI anyone?). These “achievements” are the secret sauce of what makes a Sudbury experience so extraordinary and so challenging.
Speaking of extraordinary, we are so excited to come together today, to celebrate three students who are graduating from Saint Louis Sudbury School. Cricket, Jamal, and Kenzie!
With a love for animals, art, music, games, ceramics, and more, Cricket has the kindest of hearts–looking out for others, caring for our school, and always being able to bring laughter and humor to life at Sudbury. She’s been a great friend to many at Sudbury and has been incredibly generous in gifting well-loved childhood toys and stuffies to Sudbury’s younger students. Cricket served on several committees at Sudbury and helped people adjust to the new Restoration Committee process this year. Cricket recently put a resume together, applied for jobs, and is now working at Andy’s Frozen Custard!
Jamal has seen Sudbury in its many different iterations over the years and was able to share his knowledge and experience with adults and students at Sudbury. I can honestly say that the school would not be functioning today if it had not been for his guidance, patience, and killer admin skills! As a student, Jamal led nearly every committee, learned how to communicate with parents in very challenging situations and how to facilitate conflicts among students. At Sudbury, Jamal developed his passion for music, learned how to produce music with Pro Tools software, and most importantly how to trust himself.
Kenzie’s first day at Sudbury was a Park Day. Jamal and I found him waiting in a tree. From that very first moment, he was off and running, living and breathing Self-Directed Education. At Sudbury, he was constantly exploring, curious, looking things up, researching, and learning about everything around him. His vast knowledge of video games, computers, music, and so much more was infectious for people around him. I think what most people will remember about Kenzie at Sudbury though is his humor and kindness. One moment he could be heard saying, “Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is the holy grail of autism,” and the next, “Being scared is a good thing because it means you’re smart. You have to be scared to be brave.”
Kenzie worked through the Sudbury diploma process over the last several months. He researched how to build a computer, what parts were needed, asked for help, gave a presentation requesting funds from School Meeting to pay for the project, shopped for the computer parts, built the computer, made videos on how he did it, and created a resume. One of our students recently turned on the newly built computer and researched hairless rabbits!
Often at high school graduation celebrations, there’s a lot of talk about how graduates are now ready to go out into the world as leaders, ready to make a difference in real life, and are finally ready to start living in the real world.
Well, I have a secret for you. Sudbury students have been leading themselves and their community, practicing real world skills, and making a difference from the very beginning of their experience at Sudbury. The real world doesn’t start at 18. It’s right now for all of our students.
Sudbury students are teachers and learners, advocates for themselves and friends, and humans who make a difference in all of our lives everyday.
Cricket, Jamal, and Kenzie. Congratulations for being you and for sharing your curiosity, kindness, humor, and knowledge with our community over the last few years. And congratulations to you and your family for taking the courageous leap to be in a challenging school environment where you are asked to manage your own time, figure out who you are, how to care for yourself and your community, pursue your interests, how to ask for help, how to be a friend, how to coexist with those we can’t be friends with, and importantly, how to trust yourself.
Your Sudbury community is here for you in the years to come. And always know that you are enough.
Cheers to our graduates!”
Hear from a Sudbury Graduate
What is the most valuable skill you learned at Saint Louis Sudbury School? One of Sudbury’s new graduates, Jamal, spoke at our celebration ceremony! Jamal’s family has organized a fundraiser for our school’s Tuition Assistance Program. Consider making a gift of any amount!
About 60% of our students receive tuition assistance. Our community is committed to making the challenging and unique Sudbury experience possible for young people in our region! Thank you for your support.
Diploma Project
Saint Louis Sudbury School student, Kenzie, built a computer as part of his diploma process. Watch this video of Kenzie explaining how he built the computer!
The project took a few months. Kenzie researched the building process, figured out what parts to buy, asked for help, priced out different options, brought his request to School Meeting, answered questions about his project from students and staff, went to Micro Center (more than once!), worked with an advisor on some parts of the build, and showed other students what he was doing during the process. We are so excited to have a working computer for everyone to use at school. Thank you Kenzie!
One of the first things a student looked up on the new computer… hairless rabbits.