Testimonials

“The Future is Bright - Let Me Explain

I’ve been remiss on writing this due to work priorities, but it was an absolute pleasure to engage with the bright minds at Cupola Academy (West Chester, PA, USA), a few weeks ago.

I had the opportunity to share insights on material science and the nuanced realities of recycling – specifically focusing on the lifecycle and impact of plastics. My presentation – and open discussion – was wide-ranging but eventually narrowed to polyethylene because the students have developed their very own Plastics Renewal Project, focusing on PE.

Cupola Academy (CA) is a secular, nonprofit educational organization that provides a supportive community-base for homeschooling families.

The venue where the material science program is taught by Laura Mohanty is a fabulous, repurposed site designed by Fluxspace Innovations LLC, which had a clean contemporary modern and highly functional look designed to maximize learning. It was located in Norristown, PA, USA.

The session had a lot of interactive dialogue where we delved into the complexities of environmental decision-making, such as the energy trade-offs involved in cleaning and separating recyclables.

I also talked about mid-infrared, near-infrared, and Raman spectroscopy as some, but not the only, ways to identify plastics and microplastics (I simply had to do it!).

It's inspiring to see students, 14 to 18 years old, wrestling with real-world problems and striving to make informed choices that contribute to a sustainable future.

Thank you, Laura Mohanty, Cupola Academy and Michael Hilbert, for inviting me to be a part of your journey. I look forward to seeing how these students will shape our world. Noah Greskiewicz is an intern at Fluxspace and had a major hand in starting the recycling learning and recycling efforts at Cupola. He’s very good with 3D printing and laser cutting, too! He taught me a lot! Way to go Noah - keep up the excellent work.

To the students who participated: your curiosity, politeness, and smart questions were truly the highlight of the day. I am optimistic about our future when I see such passion and intelligence in our youth.”

- Rich Karpowicz Sr., Ph.D.

“Cupola academy has really been such a beautiful additive to our weekly routine. Being a part of the community there has re-sparked my son’s desire to learn and explore in an engaged and beautiful way. He has been making so many meaningful connections with peers and feels so safe and welcomed in the community. We couldn’t ask for a better place for him to learn.”

- Kim J., CA Parent

“The two days a week my children spend at Cupola Academy are their favorite...they're always bursting to tell us about their new adventures and friends. We're so thankful to be part of the community!”

- Susan, CA Parent

“My seven year old is so happy to be at CA this year and he loves everything about his time there. I have the privilege and pleasure of facilitating at CA one day a week, and it is a joy to work with such capable, motivated, creative, and compassionate youth.”

-Sarah, CA Parent/ Staff Member

“Cupola Academy is great! The co-directors and facilitators provide the best self directed program for our kids as well as create a space for safe, positive, social interactions and it all helps remind [my partner and me] to stay true to our desire to provide positive parenting.”

- Isaac, CA Parent

“Our three youth, ages 11, 12, and 15 attend Cupola Academy. We'd recommend CA because of the intellectually stimulating and genuinely pro-social environment. We also value highly the opportunity to connect with like-minded families who are invested in Partnership Education. We place a lot of value on raising youth who are socially conscious, contributing members of society. The fact that all CA facilitators and eligible youth are vaccinated against COVID-19 supports the value we place on respecting and protecting our broader community.”

- Emily, CA Parent

“My kids go here! We love it. My two [young people] are excited to be there, are engaged and treated respectfully, and [are] making friends. I personally have gained so much from CA with homeschool support and the way they interact with people; it's clear the CA staff have so much experience which is really comforting. Also safety is a priority which has been a hard thing to nail down in programming for kids in general in my opinion. So it's basically a lifesaver for our family…

Our family includes one age 5 and one age 7.5, they are both in Creative Choice! The focus on individual readiness and choice has been amazing for my 7.5 year old who is really thriving in CC, and not quite ready for Collaborative Pods yet.”

- Erin, CA Parent

“CA is my 10 year old’s first experience with an all-day drop off program and she LOVES it. She always has wonderful stories to share of friendships and learning. The facilitators are kind, respectful and it’s clear they truly care about my daughter. We are so lucky to be a part of CA!”

- Nicole, CA Parent

“I love sending my child to Cupola Academy. She's learning how to learn (which I love) and she's exploring the world around her (which SHE loves). So glad we found this wonderful resource!”

- Kim Y., CA Parent

“CA has been the most wonderful gift to our family because it has made my 16 year old son so happy and excited about learning. He loves to share, with enthusiasm, all about the cool things they learned each day. He has made wonderful friends and is surrounded by talented, caring, creative, and fun staff members. These are definitely memories and experiences my son will never forget! This makes me so happy. I cannot thank CA enough for being such an important part of my son’s life.”

- Maureen, CA Parent