The local, place-based curriculum of Sky Islands, a tuition-free public school for grades 9 to 12 on 17 acres, fosters personal and environmental wellness alongside academic excellence. Core academic classes are complemented by hands-on, outdoor learning, taking students beyond simply avoiding ecological damage to generating positive ecological health.

The graduating class of 2012 boasts academic and leadership scholarships, including Evergreen College, in Washington, and the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS). One graduate of the Environmental Leadership class is venturing to the Wind River Wilderness course, in Wyoming, this summer, and a second is headed to backpack in northwestern Australia.

In 2012-2013, Sky Islands will join with community partners to offer exciting educational collaborations, such as a Japanese Taiko drumming class with Odaiko Sonora, organic agriculture at the Felicia Ann Cutler Farm and sustainable green building initiatives.

A highlight will be the partnership with the Intercultural Center for the Study of Deserts and Oceans (CEDO) as part of a year-long integrated science and history course about the Sonoran Desert. The course culminates in a week-long trip to the CEDO research center, near Puerto Peñasco.

Enrolling now for fall semester. Location: 3101 N. Sabino Canyon Rd. For more information, call 520-382-9210, email [email protected] or visit SkyIslands.org.