Manzanita School and Institute

Situated on 21 acres in the wild chaparral of Topanga’s Santa Monica Mountains, Manzanita is an independent, WASC-accredited school serving grades Forest Kindergarten – 12. More than a school, Manzanita was founded in 2014 as a community of educators, students, and parents dedicated to bringing positive change to the world through teaching the wisdom from the beginning of human history to the innovations of our modern times. The educational model is guided by mentorship and grounded by deep connection with nature to unlock the intrinsic gifts within adolescents. At Manzanita, the symbiotic approach to learning is practiced. By offering a cross-disciplinary curriculum and blending academic subjects and the arts with spending considerable time in their “outdoor classroom,” students gain lasting and resonant knowledge and capacities to become empowered, free-thinking adults. Every young person has something unique to offer the world that must be awakened in their adolescence; Manzanita is committed to guide each child meaningfully to discover and develop her or his personal gift.