Prodigy raises 2nd yurt on campus

Russell Grammer believes in connecting children with nature and with the outdoors.

He really is sold on the merits of being outside with kids as they learn.

To that end, the co-founder and co-director of Prodigy Leadership Academy, a K-12 school on the former Shadow Rest retreat property on Sierra Ridge Lane in Cape Girardeau County, has been involved in a yurt raising last week.

"A yurt is a very strong structure, kind of like a glorified and very durable thick vinyl fabric tent, with its origins in Mongolia — so Genghis Khan would have occupied something similar," said Grammer, 50. "(Yurts) have a circular shape and lots of natural light because they have clear dome windows at the top and the sunlight just streams through."

The yurt under construction is the second one on the property.

The original one, which has stood for more than a decade, is Julie Albertson's first- and second-grade classroom. She is also sold on bringing children close to the outdoors as they learn — and to hear her tell it, there is nothing quite like learning in a yurt.

"In the yurt, we can hear the birds and the crickets, and when it rains, it can get a bit noisy — so when that happens, we just have the children grab a book and read until (the storm) passes," said Albertson, who has 20 years of cumulative early childhood teaching experience.

"I'm into outdoor learning and experiences in nature and I like to get outside with my kids, and I really see the benefits," she said. "Yurt learning helps the children with focus, with creativity and problem-solving."

The yurt Albertson teaches in is 24 feet in diameter. The new one is larger, with a 30-foot diameter and can accommodate as many as 17 students, but Albertson says she will stay where she is.

"The new yurt is not out in the woods, like the original one is," she said. "We have hammocks outside, and when we have reading time, the kids get to take turns being out there. I'm as far back as you can get on the property with the woods directly outside the door."

The brand-new yurt was purchased from Yurts of America in Indianapolis, and cost the school $19,000.

A crew places the first pieces of the roof on a yurt at Prodigy Leadership Academy on Thursday in Cape Girardeau, the second one on the campus.Sarah Yenesel

Theory

Grammer said he's done research to show the benefits of education with a heavy outdoor emphasis.

"A child's creativity and imagination are at the highest level when outside. (Children) are finding salamanders, butterflies and little frogs and then they ask questions — and for education, that's the perfect opportunity to bring authentic learning to their understanding," said Grammer, a winner of multiple education awards who started Prodigy with his wife, Amy, 13 years ago.

"Those of us who have worked in settings that are more traditional find when students are indoors all day, they get a little sluggish. The yurt is a mix of indoor and outdoor," said Grammer, himself a product of the Cape Girardeau public schools and who taught in the district for a decade.

A sign marks the entrance to Prodigy Leadership Academy, 232 Sierra Ridge Lane, Thursday in Cape Girardeau County.Jeff Long ~ jlong@semissoourian.com

By the numbers

Prodigy began in the 2009-2010 school year with 19 students, two lead teachers and a full-time volunteer. At the time, Prodigy was based out of True Vine Ministries on Bloomfield Road in Cape Girardeau.

Today, Grammer said the school has 118 students enrolled with 22 staff members.

Classes for the 2021-2022 year begin Aug. 25.

"I don't know this for certain, but I think (Prodigy) may have the only yurt classrooms in the state of Missouri," Grammer said Thursday.

A class is conducted in the first yurt on the campus of Prodigy Leadership Academy in Cape Girardeau, in this undated photo.Submitted