The Yass Prize Roadshow for Opportunity made its second stop to Lakeland, Florida, Tuesday with a visit to WonderHere, a 2025 Yass Prize Finalist.
“We’ve been doing school differently for ten years,” shared Tiffany Thenor, CEO and co-founder. That experimental spirit is at the heart of WonderHere’s model, and it took shape when she and fellow co-founder Jessica Zivkovich made the decision to step away from their roles as public school teachers. Leaving the system allowed them the freedom to reimagine education from the ground up and create an approach they believed was truly best for children.
They were motivated by a desire to build a different kind of learning environment – one rooted in project-based and play-based learning, infused with Montessori principles, and inspired by Finnish-style assessments.
The campus is alive with farm chores that start the day, gardens, composting systems, a fully working farm of chickens, alpacas, rabbits, and goats, and open spaces that invite exploration. Students, not adults, lead visitors around the property – opening animal enclosures, explaining systems, and modeling leadership in real time.
Parent Brian Bertges shared his joy with the group. “What I see through my own son is that he loves coding and animation, and the school allows him to pursue that passion. Now he teaches other kids how to code and animate.”
“We borrow the best of research-based learning,” says Tiffany, designed intentionally around wonder. Rather than traditional grade levels, students move through developmental stages known as minis, primary, bridge, and post-primary, allowing them to grow at their own pace and in their own way.
“We’re small and flexible on purpose,” Tiffany explains. “That’s how we stay quick and nimble.” In contrast to other schools that might emphasize compliance, WonderHere is intentionally building student leaders who think critically, pursue passions, and take ownership of their learning.
After nearly ten years of steady growth, WonderHere is now poised for a major expansion, accelerated by its recognition through a $250,000 Yass Finalist Award. In the coming year, the school will open a 9,000-square-foot campus in another town, pilot two microschool classrooms inside a low-performing public school, and construct new classroom cottages on its existing property.
“We are literally doubling next year thanks to the Yass Prize. We will give the gift of a wonder-filled education to all children.”
As the Yass Prize Roadshow continues to make its way across the state of Florida, WonderHere stands as a compelling example of what is possible when education is built around the whole child and grounded in community.
Next up: Pepin Academies in Tampa – another 2025 Yass Prize Finalist, where we will see how their innovative model is transforming learning for students with disabilities.
To enjoy more photos from this incredible visit, please visit the entire gallery here. And if you missed our first roadshow stop, learn how the Chesterton School Network STOPs for education.