Path of Life Learning
Yorktown, Virginia
Path of Life Learning gives highly mobile and military-connected children the stability, belonging, and personalized support they need to finally thrive.
About
Path of Life Learning is a transformative K-12 microschool designed to give military-connected children the stability, belonging and personalized support they rarely experience amid frequent moves. Blending individual instruction with hands-on, whole-child learning, Path of Life helps students build confidence, resilience and meaningful relationships that endure from one duty station to the next. Families report not only strong academic progress but deeper engagement, renewed trust in their child’s learning, and a sense of community that anchors them through constant transitions. Founded by a former military spouse who lived the challenges firsthand, Path of Life Learning offers mobile families the consistent, joyful education every child deserves—no matter where service calls them.
Their Story
Founded by a special education teacher, team leader, active-duty military spouse, and mother of two, Mercedes experienced firsthand the instability military children face as they move from school to school. After watching her son attend three different schools in three states and struggle through repeated transitions, she set out to create a microschool where highly mobile students could finally experience consistency and connection. What began as a solution for her own family has grown into a thriving hybrid K–7 program that provides stable, individualized learning for military-connected children who deserve an educational home that moves with them.
Mercedes Grant
Founder
“We can’t change the logistics of the military, but we can change the experience and the outcome for our nation’s heroes and their families. My vision is to open Path of Life campuses near bases across the country so their children finally have stability and a place to thrive.”
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Why they stand out
Path of Life Learning stands out for solving a problem few schools even attempt to address: the educational instability faced by children who move every two to three years. Instead of requiring students to continually start over, Path of Life provides a consistent, personalized learning model that travels with them—one that nurtures belonging, honors their goals, and adapts to their pace and strengths. Students direct elements of their learning, collaborate with peers across ages and abilities, and demonstrate mastery in ways that reflect their individuality rather than a one-size-fits-all system. As the microschool network grows, Path of Life is creating a new, permissionless education pathway for military families—one that replaces disruption with continuity and allows every child to feel known, supported, and capable no matter where they are stationed.
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How they STOP for education
Path of Life Learning is Transformational because it replaces the constant disruption military children face with a consistent, deeply personalized learning experience that travels with them wherever they go.
Outstanding because it builds a strong, supportive community where families, educators, and students partner closely so every child feels known, valued, and part of something bigger than themselves.
Embodying Permissionless education, because it was created by a military mom who refused to wait for systems to change and instead built the school her children—and countless others—needed.
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Winning their award
Winning a STOP Award enables the beginning of the Path of Life Learning’s expansion into new communities near major military installations, bringing continuity, stability, and personalized learning to families who move between duty stations. With this support, they will open additional campuses and train educators to launch new microschools, ensuring military children across the country can experience a seamless, empowering education wherever they go.
Their Latest
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