The mission of Zealous is to gently guide our students in becoming healthy citizens, critical thinkers and zealous learners. Zealous values compassion, creativity and adventure.
The Zealous student is one that loves to come to school each morning. They are so passionate about what they are learning that they can’t shut it down or put it away. Zealous students don’t have to be pushed because our vision pulls them. Our three pillars include Healthy Citizen, Critical Thinker & Zealous Learner:
Demonstrates leadership, compassion, empathy, kindness and teamwork. Works to improve themselves and their world.
Uses an evidence based approach to understanding, evaluating and solving problems.
Ignites intrinsic desire to passionately pursue new knowledge, solutions and abilities.
Zealous was born in the fall of 2018 after months of conversation between founders Geoff Grimmer and Brent Drever and the belief that we could do more to inspire local kids. Specifically, we set out to solve the problem exposed by a study (see image below) done in 2016 that exposed waning student engagement in the middle grades. Each day at Zealous is an opportunity to guide our students towards their “hero’s journey” or “self-actualization.”
The graph below paints a dismal picture, but at Zealous we’re actively working to re-engage middle schoolers. Zealous offers passion based, compassionate education. We strive to meet every single student where they are when they walk in door. Our model of blended classrooms mixed with traditional learning allows students 6th - 8th grade to work through skills at a pace that is right for them. Zealous is able to re-engage students through uniquely differentiated programming centered on student interests and a strong community orientation. Students at Zealous might be finding macro invertebrates in the local watershed in the morning, designing rockets after lunch, and interviewing their elders by the afternoon. Because each day is a new adventure, each student is valued, and each lesson is crafted with care, Zealous students genuinely enjoy coming to school.
Zealous opened it’s doors in year one at the Eagle Campus with 21 full-time students. In years two and three, it has been full (24 students) with a growing waitlist. In response to demand, Zealous opened its second campus in the fall of 2021 in Edwards, Colorado. Zealous plans to reach its vision by focusing on five core areas. These include: 1. satisfied and delighted families; 2. philanthropic pride; 3. community impact; 4. staff wellness & lifestyle; and 5. strategic partnerships.
Climate change is now the greatest existential threat to our human species. Accordingly, Zealous offers a climate-conscious curriculum that sets “net-zero” as the target for all current and future campuses. Students are encouraged to think creatively about lessening their carbon footprint with tactics like biking and walking, composting and recycling, and reflecting/goal-setting on their consumption habits. Meanwhile, Zealous staff continue to push towards a net-zero building envelope through solar renewables, lighting and insulation efficiencies, and innovative lessons that empower kids and their families to live cleaner.
Our Community
From its inception, Zealous has championed a positive role in the community. Our stated vision, “Our community is centered around our students and our students are centered around our community”, is a driving force in our planning. We are regularly exposing kids to the idea that they are part of a bigger team and that their positive involvement is what makes all the difference in fostering a healthy experience for the people and things around them.
Zealous’ staff is deeply committed to a student-centric model that empowers and affirms each child. We spend more time than most organizations at establishing healthy norms that put social justice and equity ahead of all else. Each day is an opportunity to refine our expectations for kindness, inclusivity and respect. We seek to develop young leaders that are equipped to thrive in diverse, multi-cultural academic and professional spaces. Our staff leads by example, with our “hearts above heads” and filled with a selfless and joyful education philosophy. We attack new adventures with open minds and a thirst for fun...also too, an occassional pun.
