Co-Ed Boarding High School in Wisconsin

Youth Initiative High School:
Located in Viroqua, southwest Wisconsin (45 minutes south of the city of La Crosse), Youth Initiative High School is a wonderfully unique day and boarding high school for US and international students in Grades 9-12. With our comprehensive high school curriculum, which uses the Waldorf method, we focus on academic excellence, whole person development, student governance, initiative, personal responsibility, and creativity in all aspects of our education. In addition to to our day students, Youth Initiative has successfully boarded students from the United States, Thailand, Mexico, Germany, Italy, France, Colombia, and around the world.

Day & Boarding High School Programs for Students in Grades 9-12:
From Plato to the Ethics of Genetic Engineering, from World History to Carpentry, and from Organic Foods and Nutrition to Photography and Block Printing, our curriculum is vastly comprehensive and challenges and excites students in many ways, not only to learn, but to do something meaningful in the world.

On the basis of the philosophy of the Waldorf curriculum, YIHS pursues a balance of academic rigor in the humanities, sciences,  and foreign languages, compassion and cooperation in social life, and creativity and excellence in the practical and fine arts.

Core subjects include:
- Humanities, English, Science, Earth Science, Math, Language, Foreign Exchanges, Music, Art

Electives & Special programs include:
- Drama and Acting, Wilderness Expeditions, Experiential Learning, Organic Foods and Nutrition, Agricultural Studies, Sports, Student Governance, Independent Studies, Apprenticeships...

Main Lesson Blocks:
There are two main lesson blocks each day: one in the morning from 8:35 to 10:25 and one in the afternoon from 1:00 or 1:50 to 2:45. Main lesson blocks are usually from 3 to 4 weeks long and include about 30-40 hours of instructional time. Morning main lessons are more focused toward academic and intellectual skills. 

Histories, English literature and composition, and most of the sciences are taught at this time. The afternoon blocks focus on the hands - manual and fine arts such as sculpture, carpentry, auto mechanics, figure drawing, drama, photography, woodworking, watercolor, and more.

Mathematics:
Youth Initiative offers a full complement of mathematics courses from basic algebra to Trigonometry and Pre-Calculus.

Foreign Languages:
Foreign languages are an important part of the YIHS curriculum.  French and Spanish are both offered each year and many other languages have been offered upon student interest (Latin, Russian, German, etc.)  Foreign exchanges are very popular among our students and our students have gone as far afield as Guatemala, Spain, Mexico, India, Germany, Britain, France, Colombia, and Egypt.

Independent Studies:
Independent Studies are classes proposed and initiated by students. Usually they replace one of a student’s normal classes and may be self-taught, taught by a fellow student, or include a guest teacher. Students are required to submit and get approval for a proposal to the Independent Study Committee. 

This committee accepts or rejects proposals and evaluates student work against its own benchmarks, eventually assigning the pass or fail grade to the independent study.  This ensures freedom and responsibility for students undertaking independent studies.

Theme Week & Service Week:
During these two weeks, normal classes are suspended to make way for special classes and projects. For Theme Week, the students decide on a theme, find the necessary teachers and resources for their chosen theme, and then enjoy their week. Past themes include: Radio Broadcasting, Self-defense, Circus, Superheroes and Spies, and even Death and Dying. During Service Week, students spend their time serving the community, sometimes in the form of work around the school, but more often doing dirty work for other organizations.