One Stone

BACK IN 2008, TERESA AND JOEL POPPEN wanted to deeply connect learners to their Boise community. On the surface, their plan looked simple—introduce kids to service-oriented work and help them develop some skills along the way. But, there was one component that would push this One Stone project into a new age of youth engagement: let the learners choose the work they wanted to pursue.

One Stone’s original initiative, Project Good, is now only one of several platforms of what has become a dynamic entity on a mission to “make students better leaders and the world a better place.”

One Stone High School came onto the scene in 2016. Given the fertile ground they were starting with, the five elements showed up naturally in the design of this new learning environment. One Stone’s “Big Idea” boiled down to creating an environment that looked nothing like the traditional system—”No teachers. No classrooms. No grades. No excuses.”

On their first day of learning, open-walled took on a comical meaning as their permanent home was still under construction. But, once they moved into their new space, it still only acted as a launching pad for learners to get out and connect with their community in an enriching, socially-embedded way. Learners at One Stone are consistently paired up with local businesses and organizations to collaborate on high-priority problems in need of creative solutions.

Once again, this is a natural extension of One Stone’s internal operations. One Stone’s board is two-thirds learners and one-third adults. With this structure, learner agency stretches beyond the notion of owning one’s learning path. Rather, learners are called upon to own the future of their community.

When One Stone promotes their competency-based, no classrooms, no grades model, they aren’t overstating the actual learning experience. The structure is so radical that many learners aren’t sure what to think of this unfamiliar learning structure. But, as a second year learner reflects, “I’m a little surprised that having no grades is a system that works. [But,] it works because I’m not only being [assessed] by the quality and amount of my work, but by the process I go through.”

Entering a system that is personalized, relevant, and contextualized would be overwhelming to any learner who has solely experienced rigid structures and schedules. But, once they gain traction and own the fact they deserve to be the captains of their learning, the sky’s the limit. With so much to explore at One Stone, our conversation with their leaders is a must read to understand the full scope of their current and future work.