BACK TO SCHOOL AT PLANT STREET ACADEMY A new school year is here and Plant Street Academy is growing right along with our families! This fall, we’re introducing our biggest enrichment lineup yet, with opportunities for homeschool students, public and private school students, teens, and even parents. From entrepreneurship and leadership to social connection, creative movement, and parent community, our programs are designed around something we believe young people need more

Waiting on a Step Up For Students decision shouldn't mean putting your child's education on hold. Plant Street Academy's homeschool enrichment program, based in Winter Garden, FL, offers a $200 seat-hold deposit so middle and high school students can start right away, with the deposit fully refunded once eligible Step Up funding is received and confirmed. That flexibility means a pending scholarship application never has to delay a start date. The program itself, built for mi

Homeschool Enrichment Provider Wins Best Kids Program Award from The Local Magazine Winter Garden, United States – July 14, 2026 / Plant Street Academy / Plant Street Academy has been named Best Kids Program by The Local magazine, a publication serving the Winter Garden and South Lake, Florida communities. The recognition appears in the July-August 2026 issue and marks a significant milestone for the academy, which offers homeschool enrichment programs for middle and high sch

Four hours. Real-world skills. A community where kids learn to thrive Summer is here, and if you're a parent in the Winter Garden area, you've probably asked yourself at least once: "What's my child actually learning this summer?" Not just keeping busy, but genuinely growing, connecting, and building skills they'll use for the rest of their lives. At Plant Street Academy, we've been asking that same question. And the answer is Social Studio, our drop-in program designed to gi

Homeschool families are often thoughtful and intentional about the environments they place their children in especially during the summer. This article explores some of the biggest reasons homeschool parents hesitate to enroll in programs, and why many families are now searching for more meaningful alternatives to traditional summer camps in Winter Garden and Clermont.

Some kids thrive in traditional summer camps. Others need something different. This article explores why confidence, creativity, communication, and real-world connection matter more than ever—and why the right environment can completely change a child’s summer experience.

Not every child needs this program. But for the right child… It can change everything. Because when something is the right fit, you don’t have to force it. You see it. You feel it. And your child responds to it. At Plant Street Academy, we’ve designed our programs around real-world skills, communication, and confidence. That works incredibly well for some students. For others, it may not be the right environment and that’s okay. If you’re considering a summer program or looki

Most summer programs are designed as a one-time event. Sign up. Attend. Have fun. Move on. And while there’s nothing wrong with that, we believe something is missing. Because real growth - confidence, communication, leadership - doesn’t happen in just one week. It happens over time. That’s why everything we offer at Plant Street Academy is designed differently. Not as isolated programs…but as a connected journey. It Often Starts with Summer For many families, the first step i

Understanding the different ways families build a homeschooling experience When parents begin exploring homeschooling, one of the first terms they often encounter is “homeschool co-op.” But many families quickly discover something surprising: Not all homeschool learning environments are the same. Some families homeschool independently. Others join co-ops. And some participate in structured programs or learning communities that provide additional guidance and instruction. Unde

Why more families are choosing flexible, personalized learning for their children When many people hear the word homeschooling , they picture a parent sitting at the kitchen table with a stack of textbooks, trying to recreate a traditional classroom at home. But for most families today, homeschooling looks very different. Over the past decade, homeschooling has evolved into a flexible, personalized approach to learning that allows children to explore subjects more deeply, lea

How entrepreneurial programs help kids build leadership skills, confidence, creativity, and real-world skills during one of their most important stages of growth. Parents often hear the word entrepreneurship and think of adults starting companies or launching big ideas. But the truth is, entrepreneurship isn’t really about business. At its core, it’s about learning how to think, solve problems, communicate ideas, and work with others to bring something new into the world. And

How the Young Founders progression model helps students build confidence, leadership, and real-world skills year after year. Every summer, parents start asking the same question: “What should my child do this summer that will actually help them grow?” There are plenty of programs that keep kids busy for a week.But many parents are looking for something more, an experience that builds confidence, leadership, and real-world skills their kids can carry forward. That’s exactly wh

Did you know some summer day programs for kids may qualify for the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit? If you're a working parent planning summer activities, this tax tip could help offset the cost. Learn how the credit works and why programs like the Young Founders Junior Summer Program can benefit both kids and parents.

Every economic indicator points to the same conclusion. The future workforce will be led by humans who know how to think, communicate, collaborate, and adapt faster than technology evolves. The message from top CEOs at Amazon Web Services and Walmart is clear: technical tools will change, but human skill will dictate who becomes indispensable. The challenge for homeschool families today is that traditional education trends are moving backward. Students are being trained to me

Why hands-on creation matters more than ever and how it supports real-world learning at Plant Street Academy. Why Teens Need Real-World Skills Now Most teens are growing up in an environment that rewards busywork but rarely teaches them how to build something meaningful from start to finish. Parents feel this gap every day. Grades alone do not prepare a young person to plan, communicate, problem-solve, or lead. These are the skills that determine whether a teen thrives in col

The Problem We Can’t Ignore Parents feel it every day: our teens are being tested to death, yet somehow they’re still leaving high school without the skills to truly take flight in a confident manner. They can recite math formulas but freeze when asked to introduce themselves in an interview. They turn in essays but struggle to manage their own time, emotions, or stress. The truth is, the traditional system was not built for the world our kids are growing up in. Today’s teens