WonderHere
South Carolina and Florida
WonderHere is a network of child-centered microschools that combines project-based, play-driven, and personalized learning — giving children space to learn at their own pace, explore their curiosity, and grow through meaningful work and community connection.
About
As a Pre-K to 8th grade microschool network rethinking how children learn, WonderHere offers an education rooted in curiosity, joy, and meaningful discovery. Using its 4×4 model and hands-on, project-based unit studies, WonderHere helps children develop real-world skills, confidence, and independence as they direct their own learning. Families consistently report growth in creativity, engagement, and a renewed love for learning, reflecting an environment intentionally designed to honor each child’s strengths, interests, and pace. Whether at their Schoolhouse, on their 10-acre farm, or through homeschool partnerships, WonderHere is guided by the belief that education should spark wonder and equip children to thrive—challenging conventional models and expanding access to deeply personalized, life-giving learning.
Their Story
After seven years in public education, founder Tiffany Thenor launched WonderHere to challenge the norms of schooling and prove that learning can be joyful, flexible, and deeply human. Since the first campus in Lakeland, FL, the model has expanded to multiple locations and programs, offering families a true alternative: schools and learning-communities where children follow their interests and learn at their own pace — not the pace of standardized curricula.
Tiffany Thenor
CEO & Co-Founder
“WonderHere is here to change the norm, created to be the proof that learning can be done in a different way. We want to see our model adopted into our public schools. WonderHdere blends project-based learning with intentional parent engagement and personalized learning to restore human elements back to the schooling system.”
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Why they stand out
WonderHere stands out because it was built to restore the wonder that too often disappears as children move through traditional schooling. Their 4×4 model—four hours a day, four days a week—creates space for meaningful, project-based learning where students explore big questions, pursue their interests, and learn through hands-on work that connects ideas to real life. Mixed-age collaboration allows children to grow at their own pace, take on leadership roles, and build confidence through authentic experiences rather than worksheets or test prep. WonderHere’s approach has proven strong enough to influence neighboring communities and even local public schools, who have invited the team to bring pieces of the model into district classrooms. By blending curiosity, creativity, and personalized pathways, WonderHere offers a flexible, human-centered framework that shows how joyful learning can reshape education for every child.
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How they STOP for education
WonderHere maintains a Sustainable, diverse growth, creating private Schoolhouses, homeschool services, curriculum licensing (Family-Style Unit Studies), camps, co-ops, and community workshops — offering families flexible entry points.
WonderHere defines Outstanding by nurturing curiosity, creativity, and collaboration — evidenced in its play-and-project approach where children engage deeply in art, nature, science, literature, and community projects tailored to their strengths.
Permissionless from the beginning, WonderHere has operated outside traditional systems, launching programs that fit multiple needs of parents and that put learner needs first – full STOP.
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Winning their award
With a STOP Award, WonderHere can expand its flagship campus model into high-demand urban areas, begin to replicate its Schoolhouse and Studio model nationally, and scale its Family-Style curriculum and homeschool programs to reach more families seeking flexible, meaningful, and child-centered education.
Their Latest
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