The Woolman Semester

The Woolman Semester is a high school semester program for young people who want to make a difference in the world. Students in their junior, senior, or gap year come to take charge of their education and study the issues that matter most to them. Students take an active role in their learning experience through activism, community work, organic gardening and cooking, permaculture, art, wilderness exploration, service work, and by working with real issues of peace, justice and sustainability in the world.

The academic foundation of the semester consists of three core classes: English: Peace Studies, Environmental Science, and Global Issues. These subject areas are the lenses through which local and global issues are examined. Other classes include Humanities and Ethics, Nonviolent Communication and art classes.

The Woolman experience is rooted in community—the educational community of which students are a part, the natural community of which our 230 acre campus is a part, the nearby Yuba River, the local Grass Valley and Nevada City communities, and the myriad of opportunities to explore peace, justice and sustainability within California.

As a Friends school, the Woolman Semester is part of a long tradition of groundbreaking education. With their commitment to bringing out the best in each individual, Quaker schools are among the best in the world. Learn more about Quaker education.