Quick Facts
The School
- Founded in 1996 by a group of motivated young minds and a handful of encouraging adults
- A member (initiative status) of the AWSNA
- YIHS is an independent Waldorf inpired high school rich in academic excellence
- Located in the gorgeous Driftless Region of south western Wisconsin
Students
- Current student enrollment: 52 (1 part-time)
- 41% female; 59% male
Student Involvement in Governing
- Students are responsible for raising about 15% of the annual budget
- The students participate as full partners in the governance of the school
- Students currently serving on the Board of Trustees: 4
- Students currently serving on the Personnel Committee: 3
- Students currently serving on the Administration Group: 3
- Open committees such as the Long Range Planning Committee and the Curriculum Committee are frequently graced with the presence of students
- Meetings of the whole student body are held weekly. The students discuss matters of concern from fundraising to the future of the school
Campus Life
- 50 minute open-campus lunch
- Optional 2 hour after school loitering
- Two school bands which appear at Coffee Houses, Discos and other fundraising events
Faculty/Staff
- 36 faculty members
- 2 full-time faculty members
- 3:2 student-teacher ratio
- 54% of faculty members are female; 47% male.
Curriculum
- 4 foreign languages offered: French, German, Latin and Spanish
- Average class size: 131
- Over 60 courses offered
Special Programs
- Study abroad: Foreign exchange oppertunities to Germany and France
- Travel: biennial trip to Guatemala. Students travel, attend a one week language camp, and visit a returned refugee town called “Nueva Esperanza.”
- Drama: YIHS students put on a spring play, participate in fall forensics, and join in many other dramatic opportunities which vary from year to year.
- Quiz Bowl: YIHS is the home to a killer and enthusiastic quiz bowl team which competes yearly.
Facilities/Campus
- The school building boasts rareties including a fully-equipped darkroom, a screen-printing shop, a commercial kitchen, a metalsmithing workshop, and a media lab
- Campus location: ½ an acre of pristine asphalt in a historical residential neighborhood in rural Wisconsin
- Campus buildings: The school is located on the top floor of the Landmark Center, a historical landmark (pun not intended) of great significance
- Conveniently located near many local food attractions, such as the newly built Viroqua Health Food Coop
Sports
- We offer a variety of physical education options including Spacial Dynamics™, competetive sports and yoga
- 100% of students participate in a physical education course
- YIHS has sports coops with Cornerstone Christian Academy and Viroqua High School.
- Men’s Sports: soccer, hockey, basketball and options for more.
- Women’s Sports: hockey, basketball and options for more.
Alumni
- Youth Initiative has graduated 63 students since the school's founding in 1996
- An average of 70% of alumni go on to attend college or a technical or vocational program (more info)
- 100% of this year's graduating class has applied to a college or university
- 15 students is the average grade size, therefore the average class size during a main lesson. Path classes may be larger.