What happens during the first week at Embark Center? Students reconnect, create classes, learn how Community Meeting and conflict resolution work, explore downtown Leesburg, and begin shaping the year together.

Self-Directed Education provides the autonomy, flexibility, and consent-based relationships neurodivergent kids—especially those with a PDA profile—need to feel safe enough to learn. What these kids require for survival is what all humans need for well-being. When we reduce pressure and increase partnership, curiosity and resilience emerge naturally.