Cultivating Wisdom, Character, and Capability

Nature-based learning on a 40-acre mountain campus for ages 7-12, developing mind, body, heart, and hands.

Volo: Latin for "I fly" and "I will"

Families choose Volo because students master academics while building character and real-world capability. Led by skilled educators in small groups, they tackle genuine challenges and develop competence across all dimensions.

From Arthur Morris, PhD, Founder & Lead Educator —

When we started Volo in 2021, we had a simple question: how can we help young people get deep learning and genuine well-being at the same time?

Drawing on decades of teaching across multiple countries, published research in education, and proven methods from top education traditions, we created the school we wish we’d had, and that we wanted for the children in our lives.

The young people in our community are thriving: building genuine competence, discovering their unique strengths, and developing the resilience and creativity the world needs. They spend much of their time learning outdoors in these beautiful mountains in the most powerful classrooms we can offer, and these are truly world class.

I invite you to visit us and see it in action.

Our Educational Foundation

Volo combines proven approaches from some of the world's most successful educational traditions, where academic excellence is prioritized together with well-being. We combine the personalized learning of Montessori, the developmental wisdom of Waldorf, the research-backed practice of Finnish schools, and more.

Three core principles guide everything we do:

Student engaged in personalized learning

Personalized Learning Paths

Every student follows a structured learning plan designed for their developmental stage, built on proven traditions from Montessori, Waldorf, and Finnish education. Experienced mentors assess where each child is and design challenges that help them grow. Students master foundational skills in math, literacy, and science while developing critical thinking and problem-solving abilities. Small groups (currently around 5:1, maximum 11:1 as we grow) ensure close guidance and genuine support.

Nature as Classroom

Students spend 60% of their time learning outdoors under close mentorship: studying in, from, and about nature. In: nature provides ideal classrooms with manipulatives, good lighting, and great design. From: nature provides compelling examples and inspiration for learning math, writing, science, history, music, and art. About: we learn about the world around us, using principles of place-based learning. Every outdoor session has clear learning objectives, expert guidance, and safety protocols. Nature is an ideal learning environment, fostering mental, physical, and emotional health, where cognitive development is strong and curiosity is natural.

Small, Intentional Community

Maximum 24 students means every child is closely known and well-supported. Multi-age groups (similar to how families work) allow younger students to learn from older peers and older students to develop leadership. Teachers and mentors guide and support each child's academic progress, social development, and emotional well-being; really seeing each individual.

Locations

Premiere outdoor settings, each with warm, inviting indoor classrooms.

Oakley Campus

1025 E 5200 N

60 acres of private land near Oakley. Indoors we have a newly remodeled three-bedroom house with a full kitchen. This is all adjacent to over 100 acres of public open space, which is across the road from National Forest access. The outdoor space is phenomenal.

Aspen Campus

Private Property in Garff Ranches

Aspen grove with meadows and the little schoolhouse. This is our permanent anchor. It’s a great place for all that we do outdoors, with spaces for academics, exploration, and projects. The little schoolhouse is also great for indoor work, and has been especially fun for art and writing.

Midway Campus

Cari Ln & River Rd

Our Midway home base has an enclosed, large yard where we play soccer, kickball, foursquare, etc. Nearby are Wasatch Mountain State Park, and the Provo River Restoration area. All of these outdoor spaces are great for science and more. The indoor space is a charming kinderhaus ideal for reading, poetry, and other quiet learning moments

Our Learning Community

Students at Volo master foundational skills in math and literacy, scientific thinking, creative expression, self-knowledge, and genuine confidence. Often they work above grade level as their abilities and interests allow. Our integrated curriculum weaves together academics with hands-on experience. Students develop as young scientists, readers, writers, artists, and collaborators – collecting invertebrates, monitoring stream water quality, measuring solutions indoors, asking questions, writing stories and poetry. They explore physics through building and play. They study history and place-based learning, understanding their connection to the landscape and community. And much more.

How We Track Progress

Progress is assessed continuously through observations, conversations, and assignments. Each student works on personalized learning goals throughout the days and meets individually with mentors weekly to build responsibility. Students create showcase portfolios and complete self-assessments. Families receive detailed narrative reports (not letter grades) twice yearly.

Our Growth

Founded in 2021, Volo now serves 13 students across our programs. We’re supported by tuition and charitable contributions as we grow toward sustainability. We’re growing thoughtfully, maintaining our commitment to small class sizes and deep relationships.

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