Meet Samantha of Cottonwood

Today we’d like to introduce you to Samantha.

Hi Samantha, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Red Rock Wild Schooling was born from the idea that children are meant to learn about their environment by being immersed in it. Aimee and I were each introduced to forest school at different points in our lives, and we wanted to offer that same experience to the children of Sedona. We began with a group of six students at a local state park. We quickly outgrew that space. We found that there was an entire community of people who wanted the same for their children. What we saw in those first few months solidified our belief that we were exactly where we were meant to be, doing exactly what we were meant to do—providing an educational experience that made learning fun and engaging. We were providing something so different from the school experiences we both remembered of memorization and test scores. We watched children who arrived on the first day afraid of insects and mud leave after just one week with a newfound sense of curiosity.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Our biggest challenge has been finding the right location. Our top priority is ensuring that our children have a safe environment to play and learn—one with creek access, hiking paths, and an indoor space for inclement weather. We have consistently found spaces that fit this vision, but the challenges of sharing land as a school has made it difficult to establish a long-term home. We are now located at the Eco Farm in Cottonwood, and it feels like our most resonant location yet. We are incredibly excited and are hopeful that this will be a lasting fit for us.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
We specialize in creating a safe space for children that inspires curiosity. We strive to make learning fun and exciting. We aim to change the way school looks for each and every one of our students.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Redrockwildschool.com
• Instagram: Redrockwildschooling