Karen Ferguson

Education vs. Learning

The first time I met Kenna, she was but a wee beastie. We were at the Zion Canyon Music Festival. Kenna was ignoring the chaos of an influx of hundreds of tourists. Her focus was intent on saving several giant zebra moths that were being chased and injured by less aware kids. She had tears in her eyes for their plight. Finding them on the ground, she would  tenderly place them up in trees, hoping to keep them from being trampled. She has a fierce love for animals, is totally vegan, and will challenge anyone who dares infringe on animal rights.

Yesterday, she rescued a bat. Seriously.

Kenna is a wild child. She grew up in Springdale, Utah, next to Zion National Park. The local grade school is one example of innovative public education. Kids there get to assist the rangers in the park, learn to rock climb, work with local artists and businesses, and in general have a much more open kind of learning. I know a few families whose kids are growing up in this town.

Alex Pelton, by Regina Pagles

One good example is Alex Pelton, entrepreneur, originator of the music festival, owner of the Bit and Spur (scene of the annual local's favorite Halloween extravaganza for decades, and frequent live music performances). He is also the past PTA president,  and father of two very free birds of his own. The residents in Springdale care and are actively participating in the structure of the grade school curriculum.



There is no secondary school in Springdale. Kids are bussed to public schools in Hurricane, where they are confronted with comparative restraint. Kenna’s wise-woman mother did not force this on her daughter. Instead, Kenna un-schooled, deciding what she wanted to learn about, with total support from her mother and much of their community which is nestled next to, and entwined with, one of the most popular National Parks in the world.





Kenna Sava (her chosen name) is the most mature, self-sufficient teen I know. Last summer, she went to Hawaii on her own and lived in a hammock and on the beach for a month. She grows her own food, and makes her own health and beauty products (this week: “100% Organic-Vegan-Coconut-Vanilla-Orange Shaving Cream”). She has also started several successful businesses.

She makes more money—spinning fire, a thing she loves to do and is very good at—in a couple of hours than I can make in a couple of weeks doing freelance design work. And she has way more fun doing it.
She has plans to be comepletely self-sufficient and able to live “off the grid” in the future.
If she chooses to, that is.

This is Kenna Sava now, at age sixteen. The world had better get ready. These "uneducated" kids are going to turn it upside down. And it’s about time.

Among interests and skills listed on her "Bio":

Goals: 
CHANGE

Radical un-schooling/fire spinning/slack-lining/

long-boarding/permaculture/gardening/hiking/running/
photography/pottery/sculptures/modeling/saving and raising animals

2009 Modeled for Chums catalog
2009 Began ‘Hippie Chick’ business selling eggs (registered business name) I had over 250 chickens.
2010 Began ‘Hip Bee Honey’ business selling honey
2010 Began ‘Poi-Zen’ fire spinning classes & events
2011 Have performed with The Shakers, Rising Lion, Yesouisi, Jazzy’s, Casa de Amigos, Whiptail Grill with the Marcia Ishalimar dance group, and Pamela Mortensen at the O.C. Tanner amphitheater
2011 Fire spinning for Zion Adventure Company’s 15^th anniversary party
2012 Fire spinning for Elan Women’s Magazine anniversary party
2013 Fire spinning for Ragnar Relay races video
2013 Began ‘Kenna Sava’ and ‘Sava’ photography
2012 Modeled for Chums (Japan) catalog
2013 Modeled for Chums (Japan) catalog
2013 Employed by a large permaculture farm
2005-2007 Sold sculptures with Kriston Mognett
Studies:
2005-2007- Studied under Jerry Anderson (bronze metal sculpture artist) Assisted on the life-size sculpture of ‘horses, carriage, cowboys’
2013-present Study under Eva Pelton (clay sculpture artist)
2012 Native American flute school (5 days) scholarship
2012 Shaman workshop (3 days) scholarship
2013 played guitar & sang with Glass Submarine at The Red Coyote for a benefit for starving children
2007 Biathlon in Bryce Canyon (archery and running)
2010 won first place in the ice-pick/crash pad hanging contest at O.R.
2013 Worked on a large permaculture project ($18/hr)

2012-present Street performer (fire spinning & guitar/harmonica)