Naturalist

Learning, Playing, and Exploring Together

Open Connections empowers young people and adults to create the life they want, full of purpose and fulfillment.

The Naturalist program is a one-day Group Program that combines the natural sciences, literature, and the outdoors with real life skills for sustainable self-sufficient living. Utilizing our beautiful 28-acre campus, we will observe and collect plant species, forage for wild food, and cook over an open fire. We will learn basic survival skills such as fire starting, shelter building, animal tracking and trapping, and wilderness navigation. Additional opportunities may include trail clearing, and birdwatching.

Learning from incredible naturalists such as John Muir, Annie Dillard, Rachel Carson, John James Audubon, Charles Darwin, Teddy Roosevelt, and Julia Butterfly Hill, we’ll explore their notable contributions to society. We will utilize indoor specialty spaces on campus such as the Art Room, where youth will learn the craft of bookbinding by creating their own nature journals to use throughout the year to record observations and ideas, create sound maps, draw, and paint.

Depending on the group’s interest, we may also delve into the world of Citizen Science. Projects may include Cornell’s FeederWatch Program, Phenology through the National Phenology Network (NPN), or creek studies through Stroud Water Research Center.

Basic guidelines for Naturalist, by September, participants are:

Having a desire to be here.
Being willing to work through conflict with support of facilitators
Being age appropriate

The Naturalist Program at OC

Eager to take advantage of the variety of resources and opportunities offered.
Willing to stretch themselves and develop new skills – have a growth mindset.
Comfortable expressing their needs and wants with youth and Facilitators.

Open Program

(ages 4 – 10)

Group Programs

(ages 7 – 18)

Explorations Programs

(ages 9 – 18)

Program OVERVIEW for 2026-27

Please know that we strive to provide our services to all interested families regardless of their financial position. At the same time, we seek to achieve financial sustainability. Program fee reduction through our financial aid is available to those families who demonstrate financial need.

The Program Year runs from September 14, 2026 through June 3, 2027.

Program	Ages	Days	Time	Tuition
Open Program	4 – 10	M, T, W and/or Th (attend 1-4 days)	9:00am – 2:30pm	$4,860/day, annually (range is $1,000-$4,860*)
Open Group (two day program)	7 – 9	T and Th	9:00am – 2:30pm	$9,720/annually (range is $2,000 – $9,720*)
Group 1 (two day program)	9 – 11	T and Th	9:00am – 2:30pm	$9,720/annually (range is $2,000 – $9,720*)
Naturalist Group	10 – 14	M	9:00am – 2:30pm	$4,860 annually (range is $1,000-$4,860*)
Group 2 (two day program)	11 – 13	T and Th	9:00am – 2:30pm	$9,720/annually (range is $2,000 – $9,720*)
Group 3 (two day program)	13 – 15	T and Th	9:00am – 2:30pm	$9,720/annually (range is $2,000 – $9,720*)
Shaping Your Life (two day program)	15 – 18	T and Th	9:00am – 3:30pm	$10,300/annually (range is $2,000 – $10,300*)
Explorations A	9 – 12	W	9:00am – 2:30 pm	$4,860annually (range is $1,000-$4,860*)
Explorations B	12 – 18	W	9:00am – 2:30 pm	$4,860 annually (range is $1,000-$4,860*)

* Typical tuition range based on demonstrated financial need and available funding.

Copy of Program by Open Connections

WHAT OUR COMMUNITY HAS TO SAY:

“I am grateful beyond measure, and without words to adequately express how deeply I have appreciated all that each and every one of you have brought to our lives, in your countless and unique ways.”

– Kelly, OC Alum Parent and OC Facilitator

“I feel like I learn things faster because of how I am naturally curious. OC’s encouragement to pursue your natural curiosity is a big part of learning.”

– Garrett, OC Alum

“I find that the skills I have learned throughout my time at Open Connections and as a homeschooler are valuable and I will continue to use them for years to come. I appreciate that I have the freedom to choose what I want to focus on learning, and I feel like I have a lot of control over how I want my life to go because of that level of freedom.”

– Eva, OC Alum

“The model of Partnership Education suits our family’s needs beautifully. We appreciate the people, resources, and meaningful experiences that are available to our young people. OC continues to make our vision for a purposeful education a reality, and that’s a dream come true us. We can’t imagine anything better.”

– Lizzie, OC Parent

“Open Connections has introduced us to such a wide variety of ideas, experiences and people that we would have missed out on otherwise. We feel grateful for each opportunity OC has provided for our family!”

– Heather, OC Parent

“I love OC, and I like Choice the most! I love drawing and reading and making graphic novels. Homeschooling is fun.”

– Søren, OC Youth

“What do I love most? Being free! I love being outside so much. And I get to learn about snakes! Homeschooling is covering everything and it is making it fun, and we are learning more this way. I love OC, especially Thursdays and Tuesdays.”

– Silas, OC Youth

“We are constantly exploring new things. I like that there is structure to our learning but that can change depending on what the young people want.”

– Ollie, OC Youth

“OC is such a special place and differs from other learning environments in so many ways! One aspect of OC that I have always appreciated is how much OC values mutual respect. Facilitators do not look down on the young people, no matter what age they are, but instead treat them as equals.”

– Hannah, OC Alum

“Because it is such a small community, we become so connected to each other. There is always someone to interact with; another kid to play with or an adult to have a conversation. OC is small and that makes it a tight knit community. Learning together in a Group…, we become friends quickly, we connect and everyone is accepted. We are all in this together.”

– Lily, OC Youth

“OC provided a built-in support system as we started our homeschooling journey.”

– Ros, OC Parent

“Being able to explore what I was truly interested in at OC was important as I discovered both myself and—down the road—what I wanted to do as a career.”

– Teaghan, Alumna