From homeschooler to 14-year-old MIT student

Come meet the prime movers of the education liberation movement

If there’s one thing that new homeschool parents fear the most, it’s whether their children will have a fair chance of being accepted into a respectable college.

After all, how can a homeschooled student compete against a student with a “top-notch” private school education?

Well, allow us to introduce you to Laura Deming.

At 14, Laura was admitted into one of the most respectable colleges in the world – MIT. And – you guessed it – Laura grew up being homeschooled by her father, John Deming.

But her story gets better:

After only two years at MIT, Laura decided to drop out in order to accept a $100,000 Thiel Fellowship. (The Thiel Fellowship gives $100,000 to young people who want to build new things instead of sitting in a classroom.)

Instead of wasting her time in a classroom, Laura used the $100,000 gift to learn in the real world. By age 18, she was running a Silicon Valley venture capital firm backing anti-aging startups.

But what we find more encouraging is what her father has to say about education:

“I can’t think of a worse environment than school if you want your kids to learn how to make decisions, manage risk and take responsibility for their choices,” said her father, John.

“Rather than sending them to school, turn your kids loose on the world. Introduce them to the rigors of reality, the most important of which is earning your own way.”

John and Laura figured out what was right for her. Every kid deserves that.

Next weekend, May 19-21, John is going to be presenting at this year’s Liberation Of Education virtual conference.

rebelEducator is sponsoring the event, and tickets are free. You can snag yours here. Our founder Hannah Frankman is speaking, along with 

Here's a glimpse of what to expect from the jam-packed conference schedule:

Entrepreneurship is a Solid Path to Learning - John Mackey, Founder of Whole Foods: Discover how entrepreneurship can nurture creativity and innovation in children while preparing them for the ever-evolving job market.

Unshackling the Future of Education - Danielle Strachman, Co-Founder of 1517 Fund: Explore what paths exist for teenagers and young adults besides high school and college, and how much young people are actually capable of accomplishing.

Creative and Fun Ways to Homeschool on a Budget - Mike Yates, Homeschooling Dad: Learn practical strategies to cultivate a creative and engaging learning environment for your child, regardless of budget constraints.

What Can We Learn from Cool Schools? - Chris Unger, Doctor of Education Programs at Northeastern University, Boston: Explore examples of innovative schools that are successfully fostering creativity and innovation in their students, and how you can apply these lessons at home.

Plus the YEA! Youth Entrepreneurship Award will be presenting $10,000 in prizes live at the event, to kids and teenagers working on starting real-world businesses.

We’d love to meet you in real time and see you at the event! Come meet some of the rebelEducator team, fellow homeschooling/unschooling/alternatively educating parents, and the people who are building the future of school.

If you’d like to join us, you can snag a ticket here.

Until next week,

Taylor + the rebelEducator team