At Perkiomen School, education gets personal. Faculty members help uncover the passion inside each student and aim to focus that passion by participating in project-based activities and applying hard and soft skills, preparing them for the world outside of school, into college, and beyond.

Shaun T. Yorgey, Perkiomen’s Director of Strategic Innovation, has a goal to get as many students excited about their education as he can. A Perkiomen School alumnus (class of 1997) as well as a Perkiomen School parent, he is committed to changing the way students approach their education.

“Learning is the most natural thing we do,” says Shaun. “It would then seem likely that school should be natural and easy for students; yet so many young people describe it as hard or painful. Even many well-performing students do not describe the experience as natural.”

The Institutes at Perkiomen School, focusing on the fields of Artificial Intelligence, Entrepreneurship, and Medicine, guide students to interact with and apply the knowledge and skills they are learning. Shaun points out that at Perkiomen they are creating an innovative model based on best practices, that enables students to deepen their learning through a blend of Foundations courses, cross-listed courses, real-world experiences, and a capstone project.

“We value a liberal arts education as the rich context that we all use to be effective problem solvers,” says Shaun, “but content and skills are just the beginning. Students need to learn to apply their education to do real things.”

Not every student chooses to join these Institutes, but when they want to solve a problem or feel the drive to start a committee, or a non-profit, or a podcast or a YouTube channel, Perkiomen School Institutes are there to foster that passion within the student.  For example, one student-athlete, after a sports-related injury, channeled the pain and frustration into studying what types of medical attention would bring about relief the fastest.  She took a personal problem she was experiencing and dug deeper into it to try to find the best solution. 

Students are identifying and solving a problem within the world, and making their work have value. “They are trying to make a difference,” Shaun states. “Students will grow up and create value one day for a living. They will be compensated for that value in a job, will sell value in their business, or create social value for a non-profit. Trends suggest that they will do a combination of these things throughout their career. We ask the question: why not now?”

“Now is the time to learn the value of iteration. Now is the time to learn that life is about taking risks and failing your way to success. Now is the time to learn that life is not Instagram perfect for anyone, and that believing you can get it right the first time is a major obstacle to creating a meaningful life,” he says.

The Institutes can also help students figure out what they want to do or don’t want to do after graduation.

After several students took an interactive field trip with the Medical Institute, some felt they were not so passionate about a medical career, while others felt they have found a field they wish to continue studies in, Shaun notes.

They are uncovering more about themselves, now, in middle and high school, rather than waiting until they are enrolled in a college course of study. 

“Perkiomen provides the space, resources, and support for students to take charge of their education, and to explore and apply their knowledge in order to develop the mindset necessary to lead in an ever-changing world,” says Shaun.

Top universities that frequently visit Perkiomen speak excitedly about how the innovative institutes have elevated the school’s profile. Perkiomen’s three full-time college counselors see the direct impact of these deep learning experiences in where the students land and their college successes.

In the end, the Institutes at Perkiomen School motivate students to risk doing their best and continue the passion they feel for their projects into the college years and beyond.

Find out more about Perkiomen School Institutes in the Medical, Entrepreneurship, and Artificial Intelligence fields here or join them for a virtual information session, Uncover the Institutes at Perkiomen School on Wednesday, January 12 at 9:30 am. Register here.