When learning goes beyond the textbook and test, it’s transformed into a thrilling journey of discovery. It’s why the learning experience at Hyla School on Bainbridge Island is project-based and experiential – Hyla students learn by doing.
The curriculum revolves around engaging projects that connect classroom concepts to real-world challenges across diverse themes like technological innovation, sustainability and social justice.
Picture your student designing efficient BioChar to support families in developing nations to improve access to efficient fuel for cooking meals. Imagine your student collecting data to support marine ecology research in the Bahamas. Picture your student collaborating with globally recognized climate change experts on a local project to draw attention to how rising sea levels affect our community and ecosystems.
These projects aren’t just about getting an A; they’re about applying knowledge, solving problems creatively and making a real-world difference.
The learning experience at Hyla School on Bainbridge Island is project-based and experiential. Courtesy Hyla School
As an independent school, Hyla’s flexible structure empowers individual student interests with courses that allow for in-depth exploration. At the middle and upper school level, expansive elective courses support choice and discovery as students learn from Hyla faculty, community partners and online consortiums across a vast range of topics, including the arts, sciences, language and fitness options.
At the upper school for grades 9 to 12, students take Panorama courses, multi-week immersive courses that delve into broad themes and topics through hands-on labs and seminars, allowing students to explore topics and perspectives on top of their regular semester coursework.
Exploration Week at the middle school takes students off campus in multi-grade groupings to learn new skills, like mountaineering, rock climbing and culinary arts. Aperture classes in grades 9 to 12 are semester-long explorations of big ideas that challenge students to think globally and cultivate a growth mindset for tackling complex challenges, like climate change, wealth gap and sustainable technologies.
At Hyla’s middle and upper school level, expansive elective courses support choice and discovery. Photo courtesy Hyla School
At Hyla, the world is its classroom. The Hyla curriculum is built with off-campus learning, guest speakers and a network of global community partners. Hyla students work with marine biologists aboard research vessels, meet with Indigenous groups to inform their sustainable technology design projects and learn from ecologists on horseback in Utah.
These experiences solidify their understanding and ignite a passion for further exploration.
Visit Hyla online at hylaschool.org for more stories about the impact of its innovative approach, such as middle school archaeologists and high school broadcasters creating content to develop critical research and audio production skills.
Experiential and project-based learning at Hyla prepares students for college and for a lifetime of learning, confidence, and success.
Schedule a tour or attend Hyla’s open house to learn more about the experiences Hyla can offer for your student. Visit hylaschool.org or call
