Escondido, CA
Cultivating the next generation of leaders.
We offer kids opportunities to develop entrepreneurial skills in media, business, craft and trade through a variety of camps, clubs, in-person workshops and online cohorts.
"Free time is formation time."
The vision of Cultivating Kids is to build up a next generation equipped with technical and media acumen in order to amplify what is good, true, and beautiful in their communities and careers. Our mission is to train kids in technical and entrepreneurial media skills for real-world impact.
A program in response
We exist to flip the script.
Cultivating Kids is built around four commitments.
Build Skills
Equip the next generation with trade skills that foster creativity, business acumen, and entrepreneurial confidence.
Partner
Partner with parents and schools to approach this generation with creative engagement — using free time for formation.
Grow Character
Shape character by emphasizing beauty, truth, excellence, and growth in every discipline — push, challenge, refine, incite curiosity.
Build Pathways
Build long-term pathways for real-world application in Storytelling, Entreprekid, Artisan, and Home Ec.
"It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge."
— Albert Einstein
Rising challenge
Today's kids face unique headwinds.
Gen Z and Alpha (born 2000–2025) need a different kind of training.
Declining Attention Spans
A Microsoft study found average attention span dropped from 12 seconds in 2000 to 8 seconds in 2015. Sustained creative work is a counter-cultural skill.
Reduced Resilience
CDC data shows 42% of U.S. teens report persistent sadness or hopelessness — up from 28% a decade ago. Formation matters more than ever.
Weak Career Readiness
McKinsey's "Future of Work" identifies critical thinking, creativity, and digital storytelling among the top 5 future career skills — rarely taught in school.
Passive Consumption
Pew Research reports 95% of teens have smartphone access, but most time is spent consuming media rather than producing or creating anything of their own.
"This is the first generation to grow up entirely digital, with both the burden and the privilege of limitless information. Their challenge is not access, but application."— Jean Twenge, iGen
4 Disciplines
Categories of Cultivation
Four disciplines. One mission. Real-world skills from day one.
Storytelling
Students learn to observe people and the world, then tell its stories — through video, writing, journalism, documentary, and media of all kinds.
Entreprekid
Students pitch, build, and launch small ventures — learning business development, marketing, sales, and AI as a real entrepreneurial tool.
Artisan
Students develop an eye for beauty and a hand for craft — in visual art, graphic design, making, and the built world around them.
Home Ec
Students gain the practical skills most schools no longer teach — money, cooking, trades, and critical areas of adulting w/ a splash of fun & energy.
How we teach
Five formats. One purpose.
Every program is hands-on, project-based, and built for real-world results.
3-Day Bootcamps (B)
Immersive deep-dives. Students arrive with an idea and leave with a finished, shareable project.
Workshops (W)
Recurring sessions for ongoing skill-building. Same cohort, same instructor, growing week by week.
Half-Day Summits (S)
Curated experiences for depth and hyper-focus, ending in a student showcase. Family-friendly.
Online Cohorts (O)
Live, instructor-led virtual sessions for students anywhere. Same rigor, same community — through a screen.
After School Clubs (C)
Regular after-school gatherings where students build skills, community, and creative confidence together.
Stay connected
Join the 2026 Parent & Teen Text Club.
Be the first to hear when new workshops, bootcamps and summits are announced.