Today we’d like to introduce you to Mike Steel
Hi Mike, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Honestly, the inspiration to start a micro-school came mainly from my wife, Shelby. Shelby has worked in education for most of her life and co-founded Gather Forest School alongside her phenomenal business partner and friend, Ashley Causey-Golden. Shelby wanted to homeschool both of our boys at a very early age. However, I was totally against it! I grew up in the 80s, and homeschooling was completely different from today. Micro-schooling wasn’t even a term. So, I initially got started by believing in my wife’s vision of homeschooling our boys. That would then blossom into “Need” and “Impact.” Let me unpack both.
“Need”-My oldest son attended private and public schools as early as 3 years old. I noticed as he began to age within the school system that, unfortunately, some of the schools he attended put labels on him. Labels like “aggressive” or “disruptive” started to greet me during end-of-day pick-ups. At that moment, I knew we “needed” to do something different for our son… and that my wife was right (about homeschooling).
“Impact”-Fast forward a few years, and now we have two sons who are both homeschooled and have been for the past 5 years. My oldest is 11 (6th grader), and my youngest is 7 (2nd grader). When we decided to create GrasssRoots Middle, we knew that there were other homeschooled, middle-schooled black/brown children, just like ours, who wanted something more and different out of education. We knew that we could make an enormous impact in their lives by creating a safe space that’s 100% outdoors and nature-based, where scholars are seen, loved, encouraged, and celebrated for their authenticity.
We’ve gotten to where we are because of our fantastic community. Our parents and scholars believe in the vision and are incredibly involved in the growth and advancement of GrassRoots Middle. Our scholars are inspired to learn, which empowers us to ensure we deliver the highest degree of programming to serve them.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
A few months ago, I saw a powerful interview with Lauryn Hill, a hip-hop star and songwriter. In the interview, she says, “Every time God navigates my ship, there is nothing cerebral going on; it’s very little thought…it’s almost like I already have the direction.” To me, that epitomizes GrassRoots Middle. The work that we are leading is truly God navigating our ship. He brings us new opportunities, lessons, outstanding scholars and families, and meaningful partnerships. We are walking in complete alignment with God, so the road has been relatively smooth for us.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
GrassRoots Middle is a Vibe! We are a micro-school that inspires homeschooled middle schoolers through nature-based learning and outdoor movement. Our class offerings are dynamic, changing each semester to keep the learning experience fresh, vibrant, and exciting for our youth. We are a nature-based learning program that is BIPOC centered and 100% outdoors for children aged 8-14.
When reflecting on the brand, two significant areas stand out. First and foremost is the pure joy we experience from our scholars and parents. Our program is Behavioral-Driven Learning instead of Test-Driven, meaning we can see how scholars interact with the lessons and the environment. At GrassRoots Middle, we observe, watch, and listen to our scholars to know how the content resonates. I’m proud to see black/brown children learning “IN” and “FROM” nature when statistics reveal that, unfortunately, black/brown children do not have the same level of access to nature-based learning programs as other races…especially at the middle school level. I’m proud that we can serve in this way. Second, I’m proud of our brand’s reach thus far internationally. I’ll give you an example. Our active Instagram page drives interest and promotion to GrassRoots Middle. Through this channel, we’ve had families from Africa and New Zealand contact us about starting a GrassRoots Middle in their respective areas. How powerful is that?! As we continue to scale the GrassRoots Middle brand, we are excited about our product/service roadmap, which will include a downloadable BIPOC-Centered curriculum and bespoke Microschooling consulting services.
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
We openly welcome collaboration opportunities!
We partner across the following channels:
1. Conferences/Events-As a co-founder of GrassRoots Middle, I serve as Keynote or Panel Speakers at upcoming homeschool conferences, sharing best practices, knowledge, resources, and insights gained throughout their micro-school and homeschool journey.
2. Outdoors- GrassRoots Middle is able to serve as focus group and field research & development support for recreation equipment and clothing.
3. Consultation-Our Founders, have the ability to serve as advisory support for launching and scaling a microschool.
4. Educational Partnerships-As a traveling program, our learning space is ever-changing. We visit museums, farms, local small businesses, etc. With this said, if you’re one of these entities; definitely reach out and let’s build an incredible experience for black/brown youth, together!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.grassrootsmiddle.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grassrootsmiddle
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/grassroots-middle
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@GrassRootsMiddle
