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This hands-on course introduces students to the fundamentals of woodworking through the design and creation of a three-dimensional wooden art piece. Students will learn how to safely and confidently use a variety of power tools while exploring the full design process—from brainstorming and sketching ideas to developing templates and final plans. Along the way, they’ll discover how thoughtful design, careful measurement, and creative problem-solving come together to turn an idea into something real.

Using dimensional lumber, students will transfer their designs into wood, then cut, shape, sand, and finish their projects into a polished final piece that reflects their individual vision. Whether creating a portrait, image, or abstract form, students will build both technical skills and artistic confidence as they bring their ideas to life. By the end of the course, each student will walk away with a deeper understanding of how creativity and craftsmanship work hand in hand, along with their finished product.

Looking for a Bible study that feels fresh, thought-provoking, and discussion-based—more like an English seminar than a lecture? Join me for The Bible as Literature, a dynamic course for Reachers that promises to make the renowned stories of the Old Testament Bible come alive with a focus on character, motivations, themes and literary allusions. This course is designed for those who wish to dive deeper into scripture as story, poetry, and cultural touchstone. No prior Biblical knowledge is needed—just curiosity, an open mind, and a willingness to read and share ideas in community.

What kind of school helps you thrive? In this interactive course, students will explore what matters most when choosing a middle or high school—from learning styles and school culture to extracurricular opportunities and personal goals. Through activities, discussions, and guided reflections, participants will learn how the admissions process works, what schools are looking for, and how to present their authentic selves with confidence. By the end of the course, each student will walk away with a clearer sense of who they are as learners and leaders—and what kind of school environment will bring out their best.

This four-week course introduces students to foundational concepts in art and graphic design through a collaborative, project-based approach. The course centers on a group project in which students design a commemorative T-shirt inspired by the program’s theme. Students develop skills in creative brainstorming, visual problem-solving, and the application of core design principles and elements of art. Instruction also includes essential artistic techniques such as perspective, composition, and color theory, enabling students to create cohesive and visually compelling imagery that communicates meaning and intent.

Do you love movies and want to make your own? This course gives you the opportunity to bring your ideas to life in the form of exciting and dynamic short films. Students work collaboratively as part of a film crew while developing, shooting, and editing short narrative films. Each student takes on a variety of responsibilities in turn, gaining experience writing scripts. operating a camera, acting, and directing, with the course culminating in a screening of the finished movies. Skills refined along the way will include screenwriting, shot design/storyboarding, the essentials of post-production, and the art of successful collaboration and teamwork.

In this course, students will analyze real-world financial decisions that they can expect to make after graduating high school. They will learn how to use debt (credit cards, student loans, mortgages), some of the pros and cons of different career paths (trade school, college, graduate school), how to create a budget, the basics of investment philosophy (stocks, bonds, index funds), and how to plan for retirement (401K, IRA, HSA, social security).

Dive into the exciting world where innovation and digital living collide! In this hands-on class, students will design, build, and program while exploring how technology shapes our daily lives. From programming smart machines to understanding how technology transforms everything from entertainment to communication, this course builds the skills needed to thrive in tomorrow’s digital world today. Dive into the exciting world where innovation and digital living collide! In this hands-on class, students will design, build, and program while exploring how technology shapes our daily lives. From programming smart machines to understanding how technology transforms everything from entertainment to communication, this course builds the skills needed to thrive in tomorrow’s digital world today.

Everyone is a legend in their own mind, and the hero of their own journey. We will break down Joseph Campbell’s monomyth (hero's journey) into its individual stages, witnessing it through millennia of oral histories, written stories, and movie and cartoon adaptations. After peeling the layers off our onion (Yes, Shrek is a hero, too!) REACHers will then exercise their creative muscles to create their own hero and tell the story of their journey, leaving class with a stronger sense of self, their own heroic traits, and the tools they need to complete their own journeys.

 “Until the lions have their own historians, the history of the hunt will always glorify the hunter.” - Chinua Achebe
I love movies. I love history. Movies and history love each other! But every historical movie is being told from someone’s perspective. Every story from history is advocating for one narrative by choosing what is put out front, and what is not put in at all. Over the course of this class Reachers will watch and dissect some historical films, learning the historical facts and comparing them with what they see on screen. As an exercise they will then begin to think about the history of REACH 2026, and create their own story of experience to share.

Using Sonja Cherry-Paul’s adaptation of Clint Smith’s book of the same name, Reachers will peal back the myths of American history to investigate and elucidate what those stories were designed to obscure. We will ask questions of the past to explain the present, comparing the cultural and racial and political stories we’ve been told with the ones we have uncovered. Like a good detective novel, “history is a mystery that never ends.” It’s time to go sleuthing.

This course will include basic car maintenance such as an oil change, tire change, and fluids check. A healthy living portion will include the importance of healthy cooking, exercise, hygiene, and sleep. Along with these topics this course will include time management techniques and the importance of daily routines, balancing budgets, and different forms of self advocacy. Take this course in order to be better equipped at life!

In this course, we explore the true meaning of past events through the eyes of those who relayed its “results”. The very word “history” tells of who it favors, who it excludes, and the potential truthfulness told of what happened. The fact it is determined and shared from “HIS” perspective already connotes that the victor, usually a male, is the complete and accurate perspective we need to teach in school. It lifts the sometimes romanticized versions of the events we all heard or learned about, ensuring forevermore that the Reachers MUST trust… but verify.

The Mind Mentor is a four-week immersive summer program designed to teach teen boys core executive functioning and performance tools they need to focus better, stay motivated, manage emotions and build confidence.
 

In Week 1, boys learn how their brain reacts to stress, frustration and distraction. They build language for their internal experience and begin using fast, science-backed reset tools to stay calm and focused. In Week 2, students learn how to shift negative self-talk, build confidence through small wins, and connect their effort to meaningful goals. In Week 3, we build the systems that help boys start tasks, stay organized, avoid overwhelm and manage screens. And in Week 4, students learn the power grit: sticking with hard things, recovering from mistakes and following through on commitments. 
 

By the end of the program, each student leaves with their own Personal Playbook, a set of routines and mindset tools that they can actually use. The end result is a more confident, independent young man who understands himself better and feels equipped to handle the academic, social and personal challenges that lay ahead. 

Someone famously said, "When you look outside you dream, when you look inside, you wake up". This class will dive into what it means and what it takes to be influential in your life. It will incorporate work on understanding ourselves and what we can each uniquely bring to our relationships and our life-long learning. In turn, that path runs alongside learning ways to connect more deeply with people in all parts of your life in order to do the important work in the world that very well may be inside you. This class will be animated by the belief its members can and will "make a dent in the Universe." 

In this course, students will learn about the physical laws and patterns which guide our universe. We will study motion (velocity, acceleration), forces (gravity and electromagnetism), and energy (potential and gravitational). We will study the ways in which these fundamental interactions produce the wonderful world we share.

Students enrolled in this course produce the official broadcast of Reach Academy, a news and variety show designed to capture the excitement of the Reach experience. Students will write, host, and star in segments ranging from news updates and human interest stories to comedy skits and commercial parodies.

The finished broadcasts will be screened for the entire Reach community to enjoy. Students will learn interviewing skills and camera and editing techniques, and will use a green screen to create shot composites and effects.

This course helps young men take control of their time, their habits, and their daily routines. Instead of just talking about “being productive,” students dig into why procrastination happens in the first place—whether it’s distractions, overthinking, or feeling unmotivated—and learn practical tools to stay on track. Through real-life scenarios, hands-on activities, and honest conversations, students practice breaking big tasks into manageable steps, setting goals they can actually reach, and balancing school, social life, and their own well-being. By the end of the course, students walk away with stronger focus, better organization, and the confidence to handle responsibilities without feeling overwhelmed.