Copper Learning Academy

03/09/2026

Sometimes the universe sends tiny reminders to keep going.

This last couple months I have been trying to solve two things that don’t seem to want to be solved. You know those situations where no matter what you try, what angle you come at it from, or how many conversations you have… it just feels like you’re banging your head against a brick wall?

I imagine I’m preaching to the choir here.

Even during times like that, life keeps moving.

Today, I had a couple meetings that were close enough together timewise that it didn’t make sense to drive home in between.

My daughter asked if we could go to the park in St. Johns.

So we did. I was feeling sad and grumpy. Maybe this was what we both needed.

As I was pulling in, I noticed a white-haired gentleman with a long beard walking his dog. He had paused at the splash pad to play the musical instruments they have there. The ones that were installed in honor of a young kid.

I wondered if the child’s parents ever see moments like that and smile.

I know It made me smile.

Then there was another man walking with what looked like grumpy determination. You know the type — walking purposeful, very focused.

I waved, like you do in a small town.

He lifted his blue hat in the air and gave the most dramatic wave back.

It made me smile.

I sat in the sunshine for a bit. A little toddler wandered over and told me a very serious story. I have absolutely no idea what he said, but he was very committed to telling it.

It made me smile.

I watched my daughter run, laugh, and play. The sunshine and the breeze felt good.

It made me smile.

Then I found someone had left a small rock with a bee painted on it next to the sink.

My daughter loves bees.

So I picked it up and brought it to her so she could share in the joy.

And we decided this week we’re going to paint a handful of rocks and bring them back to the park so we can make someone else smile too.

I share this because this is real life. I was feeling sad, and frustrated,. Then I found reasons to smile, and then we found a way to expand the joy.

Hard days exist. Even when you're building something beautiful like Copper.

And I want the kids at Copper to know something important.

It’s okay to cry.
It’s okay to have hard days.
Copper will always be a safe place to fall apart when things feel heavy.

Because we get it. We know what hard days look like.

And sometimes the things that help the most are very small:
🎶 Dogs and park instruments.
👋 Blue hats and dramatic waves.
☀️ Sunshine and laughter.
🐝 And bees painted on rocks.

My dream is that we help kids find those things for themselves. That we give them tools to work through the hard so that they can come out stronger on the other side.

So, tell me, what’s one small thing that made you smile today?

03/03/2026

So excited about the Birdfy bird house!!

02/27/2026

Come visit me at the Quiet Adventures Society symposium Saturday form 9-5 at the MSU Pavilion.

02/22/2026

This summer at Copper Learning Academy in St. Johns, we’re creating more than a camp 🏕️

We’re building a community where kids explore outdoors, follow their curiosity, and grow in confidence with guides who truly care.

We’re looking for a learning guide who believes in child-led discovery, muddy shoes, meaningful connection, and the kind of education that honors the whole child.

If you’ve ever imagined teaching in a space that feels intentional, nature-rich, and rooted in wonder… this might be your place.

🌻 Apply to be a Summer Learning Guide:
audrey@copperlearningacademy.com

📍St. John’s, Michigan
🗓️ Opening 2026
🌿 Nature-Based K-5 School
🐝 copperlearningacademy.com

02/21/2026

Visit me today at Mother and Earth Kids until 1pm!

02/16/2026

Still piecing together summer plans? There’s an easier way. 🌿

At Copper Learning Academy in St. Johns, we’re creating a full-summer camp where kids spend their days outside — building forts, tending gardens, making art, exploring nature, and forming real friendships. It’s consistent care you can rely on and a summer that actually feels good for them.

Small groups. Caring guides. Fresh air. Less screen time. A rhythm families can count on.

With just 20 spots, this first summer will be intimate, intentional, and full of the kind of childhood moments that stick.

🌻 Secure your child’s spot for Summer 2026:
copperlearningacademy.com

02/15/2026

Did you know we will have a summer camp this year?!
DM us for details!

Send a message to learn more

02/12/2026

What if summer didn’t feel like managing schedules… but like childhood?

Copper Summer Camp is intentionally simple.

Small group.
Outside most of the day.
Mud. Water. Forts.
Nature-based projects.
Real connection.

This isn’t a screen-heavy day.
It isn’t chaotic gym noise.

It’s exploration.
It’s curiosity.
It’s the kind of summer many of us remember — and want our kids to have.

And because we believe good things can be found with local food too, any parent who registers their child by February 28th will receive a curated lunch from Graze on the Go Charcuterie & More!

We met Graze on the Go a year ago during the St. Johns Area Chamber of Commerce Business Incubator Challenge in January 2025, and we're so excited to be partnering a local business that values community the way we do.

If you’ve been thinking about summer camp, now is a beautiful time to say yes. Just head to our website to sign up. 🌿

02/03/2026

Visiting with WILX Taylor Gattoni was so fun! I appreciate how kind and curious she is — thank you for having me!

A nature-based learning center for K-5 students is opening this year in St. Johns.

02/03/2026

Routines are for giraffes! 🦒

Someone asked me recently how I’m managing stress while opening a school. They wondered if I was taking care of myself, because there are a lot of tasks, deadlines, and future steps to keep organized.

One of the biggest supports for me has been building a morning routine. If you’d told me a few years ago that I’d have one, I would have laughed. Then internally I would have felt shame about not knowing how to do that. (There is my ADHD brain, reporting for duty.)

What made it actually stick wasn’t discipline — it was joy.

I started with just one tiny thing: “mini morning adventures.”

I filled a jar with simple, playful ideas and pull one each day like a little fortune cookie.

They’re meant to take 30 seconds to no more than three minutes.

Today’s slip said: “Find a shadow that looks like an animal.”

My first thought?
…Absolutely not. That feels too hard.

I looked at the shadow by the window.
The shadow from a box.
The shadow from the laundry basket.
The shadow from the actual cat.

Still nothing. And I almost quit.

Then I glanced at the shadow from the cat tower — and suddenly I saw a giraffe. 🦒

In that tiny moment, two things became clear:

1) I only found it because I didn’t give up.
2) This is exactly why I do mini morning adventures — to create little pockets of joy, imagination, and possibility.

Over time, that small ritual grew into a fuller routine that now also holds space for my goals around health, leadership, and the work of building Copper.

That willingness to do something completely different is exactly what I want for students.

I want them to be able to say, “This isn’t working — let’s try another way.”

I want them to build on ideas, be playful, and see possibility.

And yes — I also want them to do their math, spelling, and history along the way.

If this resonates with you, I’d love for you to join our waitlist on our website.

(P.S. please excuse my very funky giraffe drawing… imagination over artistry! 😉)