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An educator works with students during a small-group learning activity at WonderHere’s Lakeland campus. | Courtesy of WonderHere
4-minute read
A Lakeland-based microschool that began as a living-room experiment in 2016 and now serves more than 100 students locally has earned national recognition — and $250,000 — for challenging traditional approaches to education.
Founded in 2016 by former public school teachers, Tiffany Thenor and Jessica Zivkovich, WonderHere emerged when the founders became disillusioned with what they describe as an education system that rushed children through standardized benchmarks at the expense of curiosity and joy.
The school serves students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade and operates as a multi-state network of microschools in Florida and South Carolina.
The Yass Prize evaluates recipients using its STOP principles — Sustainable, Transformational, Outstanding and Permissionless — which emphasize long-term impact on students and families rather than test scores alone. The award is intended to help winning organizations replicate and scale proven models in high-demand communities.
Judges cited WonderHere’s diversified model — including schoolhouses, homeschool services, curriculum licensing, camps and community programs — as a factor supporting long-term sustainability.
The $250,000 STOP Award will help WonderHere expand capacity at its Lakeland campus and grow its presence in Davenport to serve families commuting from surrounding areas. The organization is also working towards constructing an additional facility in Lakeland.
A student works independently during a learning block at WonderHere, where students are encouraged to move at their own pace. | Courtesy of WonderHere
A new model, a new approach
Thenor said public schools push students to learn too quickly.
“We want our kids to read before they can walk. We want to push paper because that’s where the proof can be,” Thenor said. “We want to prove that we’re the best and the fastest and most educated — but it’s not working.”
WonderHere’s family-style schoolhouse model breaks from traditional classrooms by:
Grouping students by mixed ages rather than grade levels
Eliminating letter grades and homework
Centering learning around projects and curiosity
Encouraging strong parent participation
Compressing formal learning into shorter school days
There is a morning Montessori-style learning block, and afternoons include optional enrichment activities, play and farm-based learning.
The model’s “4×4” structure — four hours a day, four days a week — was recognized by Yass Prize judges for creating meaningful project-based learning, time to pursue personal interests and real-world experiences.
“Parents tell us they feel like they’ve gotten their kids back,” Thenor said. “There’s more time together and less pressure.”
A student participates in a hands-on sorting activity using natural materials at WonderHere, a Lakeland-based microschool that emphasizes play- and project-based learning. | Courtesy of WonderHere
The hunt for school options
For families seeking alternatives to traditional, compliance-driven schooling, WonderHere offers an option Thenor says is designed to reduce stress and prioritize child-centered learning.
However, that alternative comes with a cost. Tuition at WonderHere ranges from $6,000 to $9,000 annually, depending on enrollment options such as half-day programs and four or five day schedules.
One Lakeland parent, Tara Hall, said she was initially drawn to WonderHere while exploring education options after moving to the area.
Hall, whose child attended WonderHere for several weeks, described the environment as nurturing and personal, but said they were looking for more structure and academic rigor. “I’m glad WonderHere exists in the Lakeland homeschool community,” Hall said. “But I don’t think the model works for everyone.
Dr. Lori Rakes, dean of the School of Education at Florida Southern College, said that while there are meaningful benefits for some families, there is not a one-size-fits-all solution. Rakes said micro-schools and other nontraditional approaches often provide greater flexibility, individualized pacing and personalized support — particularly for students whose needs may not be well served in traditional classrooms.
At the same time, Rakes noted that transitions back into traditional middle or high schools can require additional planning, as differences in curriculum pacing, assessment methods and social structures may pose challenges without proper support.
WonderHere’s recent recognition comes just a few years after the school officially opened its Lakeland campus. Thenor and Zivkovich opened the doors of their farm and schoolhouse on Dec. 5, 2022, following what was described as a rollercoaster journey marked by significant hurdles and unexpected costs. At the time, the play-based, project-driven private school served about 80 students.
Educational outreach
The $250,000 Yass Prize, community support, United Way partnerships and parent choice policies have helped WonderHere’s model grow, and they’re looking toward the future.
“We are working toward partnering with our local public schools,” Thenor said.
The organization will also host its annual CHILDHOOD Conference in Lakeland in January, bringing educators and families together to discuss child-centered learning and education innovation.
For WonderHere, the mission remains unchanged. “Childhood is short,” Thenor said. “Education shouldn’t subtract from it.”
Insight Polk examines community conditions and solutions in six target areas from UCIndicators.org: economic & employment opportunity, education, housing, food security, transportation & infrastructure, and quality of life.
LkldNow’s Insight Polk independent reporting is made possible by the United Community Indicators Project with funding by GiveWell Community Foundation & United Way of Central Florida. All editorial decisions are made by LkldNow.
Kayla Borg is a Lakeland native and graduate of Western Carolina University, where she earned her degree in English and film production. She began her media career in Atlanta at CNN, quickly rising from production assistant editor to technical director/editor, leading live broadcasts alongside field reporters. Since then, she’s worked in education, instructional design and independent filmmaking.
