Hero

This is Hero, a kid who can single-handedly restore your faith in humanity like ZAP! He can smile wider than the horizon, he’s got more pep in his step than Fred Astaire, he’s more ebullient than the gingerbread baby, and he’s as generous as Santa; just before holiday break, Hero bought a bunch of pizzas and passed out hot slices just to spread good cheer. “When you see people smile,” Hero says, “that’s the best.” And in fact just now he winked at someone walking by and said, “hey, ya like that cake?” I guess he was doing that thing he does again. He lights this place up like high-wattage LEDS. Dude’s got a sunny soul and a heart made of gold – golden marshmallows.

Aside from making folks smile, Hero’s activities at school revolve around gaming and playing outside with his pals. When I asked him what he finds so compelling about gaming he said, “the intensity!” He took a long breath and sighed. “Let me give you an example,” he said. “In Team Fortress Two, when your uber’s almost charged and a demo man is coming around the corner and you’re like, I’m invincible now so bring it on. Thrilling. Thrilling!”⁣

Hero says, “I love this community and how it works. JC especially, because everybody gets to tell their side. At my old school, if someone told on you the teacher would immediately side with them and never take the time to hear your story…this school doesn’t look like what you think. It looks like a place where you can just do whatever you want and goof off all day but actually there is this entire system that the kids help to run and enforce.”⁣⁣

Hero is friendly with everyone at school; he doesn’t discriminate. And he’s thoughtful and honest, like a kid in a commercial (recently someone tried to get him in on a lie and Hero said, “nah man, I’m going to tell the truth”). But he’s no cartoon – he’s a real dude, I swear I saw him today with my own eyes. I asked him if he had any plans for the future and he said, “I’m going to go where this life takes me. Who knows what will happen.” Pretty rad, Hero. We’re so so glad you’re here. May you #gameon4eva.⁣

Parents’ experience of the school is a crucial factor in determining their childrens’ experience of the school. Children of parents who work hard to understand our philosophy, communicate with staff, attend events, and connect with the community usually get the most out of our program.

At Zena Democratic School, rule infractions and interpersonal conflicts are resolved using sophisticated restorative justice tools.

Age-mixing is one of the most potent developmental experiences at Zena Democratic School.

Each student aged 14+ is automatically enrolled in our High School Advisor Program;

Screens are allowed at school, with restrictions.

At Zena Democratic School, a Cooperative (coop) is a group of like-minded students and staff who organize around a common interest, like music, art, or sports.

At Zena Democratic School, the jobs of administration and maintenance are divided into roles called Clerkships;

Every student and staff at Zena Democratic School is assigned a cleaning job by the Physical Plant Clerk.

Students may receive a diploma if they elect to undergo our internal diploma process.

Zena Democratic School is located on a parcel of 67 wooded acres in the foothills of the Catskill Mountains in the Hudson Valley region of New York State.

Zena Democratic School is a direct democracy; each student and member of the staff has an equal vote in managing all aspects of the school’s operation.