Pushing the Boundaries of Learning

Photograph by Paul Prescott

Shackleton Schools, named after the famous Antarctic explorer, uses educational expeditions to tap the potential of young people who have failed to thrive in traditional high schools and to teach them to be leaders.

Since the organization opened a school in 1998, students have learned about economics, immigration, and land use while traveling along the U.S.-Mexican border, studied marine biology and ecology in the Everglades and in the Barrier Islands, off the coast of Georgia, and investigated the state of civil rights by talking with politicians, historians, activists, and everyday people in the South.

Luke O’Neill, founder of the organization, says the school’s approach to igniting students’ intellectual curiosity relies on new experiences rather than on lectures and textbooks. “Once we’re beyond our comfort zone, we’re wide awake,” says Mr. O’Neill, who hopes the organization will expand beyond its Ashby, Mass., campus and Boston headquarters. “Our eyes are open, and we’re faced with brand-new things. In that adjustment process, there’s an incredible amount of learning.”

Shackleton students take an active role in planning and leading the expeditions, and after the trips they document what they have learned in essays, portfolios, and quarterly presentations to fellow students, teachers, and parents.

This year, more than 50 students will attend the school, which charges an annual tuition of $28,500. But Mr. O’Neill says only a handful of students’ families pay the full tuition, adding that an important part of the school’s mission is to provide financial aid to students who need it. The average amount that families pay is $11,000, with many paying much less. Tuition payments account for about $500,000 of the organization’s $1.9-million annual budget, with the difference coming from individual donors and foundations.

Here, Shackleton students enjoy a break on the Appalachian Trail during a three-week orientation trip.