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Aspire school offers hands-on classes and engaging education in Missoula, MT.
We believe that students should understand the importance of education and should take charge of their own educational path.
Our classes are small and our content is tailored to the level and needs of each individual student.
In addition to more traditional classes, we offer three immersive experiential programs: outdoor & wilderness education, filmmaking and robotics & engineering.
If students choose not to participate in one of these programs, they can craft their own independent study program based on their personal interests. At Aspire, we are a community of learners.
Quick Stats (2024-25)
Grades: 9-12
Enrollment: 28 students
Yearly Tuition: $9,900
Acceptance rate: 100%
Average class size: 10 students
Application Deadline: None / Rolling
Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
Students at Aspire are asked to take charge of their education and
their school. They are involved in every aspect of running the
school, from serving on the Executive Board, to fundraising, to
cleaning classrooms. Students meet weekly to discuss curriculum,
school rules and strategic planning. Aspire offers traditional
classes that are tailored to the needs and abilities of each
student. We also participate in the University of Montana's Early
to College program, allowing juniors and seniors to take college
level classes online or at the University. In addition to our
college and career prep program, students are encouraged to
participate in one of our three immersive experiential programs, or
to create their own independent study. Students have chosen
independent studies in music, art and animation, among other
things. Our three immersive experiential programs are designed to
give students a more holistic and real world education. Students
may participate in all three or may choose one to focus on for the
entire school year:
Outdoor & Wilderness Education: Our outdoor
education program helps students to connect with nature, connect
with themselves, and connect with our shared past. In our fast
paced world, our children almost never have an opportunity to slow
down and experience the calm that comes from being immersed in
nature. Students in our classes are encouraged to put their cell
phones away and acquaint themselves with their inner self. We begin
and end our year with nature connection because this connection can
help carry us through the stresses of the school year and the
difficult realities of being a teenager. Along with a better
understanding of self, students who participate in this program
gain confidence in survival situations. They might learn fire
making, flintknapping, bowmaking, weaving, pottery, felting and
other skills that are slowly being forgotten by our culture.
Students may participate in this program every year they are at
Aspire.
Filmmaking: Our world communicates through film,
so why not develop a deep understanding of this medium as part of
your high school experience? The school year begins with a
screenwriting class that students can use as part of their English
requirement. Students also learn cinematography, in preparation for
our December/January shoot. After we film our movies, we get to
work on editing. Students use professional grade editing software
and learn industry standard editing techniques. Finally, at the end
of the year, students use applications like Blender and Adobe After
Effects to create visual effects for their movies. Students also
score the films and learn foley and sound design as they fine tune
the sound for their movies. Students in this program will present
their finished projects at the Roxy Theater in May, in a
school-wide end-of-year celebration of their work. Student films
are an amazing example of teamwork, as different students write,
direct, act in, edit and produce each movie.
Robotics & Engineering:Our school competes
in two robotics leagues, one for middle schoolers and one for high
schoolers. Robotics competitions help students to think outside the
box, develop solutions without a “right” answer, and understand how
projects take shape in real world situations. Along the way,
students develop business, literacy and STEM skills. Our middle
school students compete in the First Lego League, building and
programming Lego Mindstorms EV3 robots. In addition to the robot
games, our FLL teams complete a research project, developing and
presenting an innovative solution to each year’s challenge
question. Our FLL teams are made up of 6-8 students in the sixth
through eighth grades. Our high school students compete in the
First Tech Challenge. These students manage their robotics team
like a business, learning important presentation, marketing and
planning skills along the way. Each team of 6-8 students builds a
robot to compete in two qualifying tournaments and the state
championship. FTC students fundraise by volunteering at Learning
With Meaning’s “Innovate” summer camps the summer prior to
competition.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
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Quick Stats (2024-25)
Grades: 9-12
Enrollment: 28 students
Yearly Tuition: $9,900
Acceptance rate: 100%
Average class size: 10 students
Application Deadline: None / Rolling
Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
