White Pine Wilderness Academy

White Pine Wilderness Academy offers Woolly Bears Forest School, Tree Frogs Forest School, Flying Squirrels Forest School, Scouts Forest School, and Teens Forest School. The program includes outdoor nature immersion, free play, guided nature lessons, stories, songs, crafting, guilds, nature connection games, focused skills, and after-school Shikari sessions. It also offers Protectors Club with martial arts, movement, and meditation, summer camps with nature connection and survival skills, and fall and spring Midwest Wildlife Tracking Intensives.

At a glance

• Ages: 3–17 years old
• Current session: Fall Midwest Wildlife Tracking Intensive (Sep 4–Dec 13, 2026); Spring Midwest Wildlife Tracking Intensive (Feb 26–May 16, 2027)
• General schedule: Youth programs are ages 3-12; teen programs are ages 13-17; summer camps are ages 4-17. Youth programs include full day, half day, and after school. Teen programs include full day, after school, and weekend overnights. Multi-age programs are weekly. Adult programs are weekends.
• Facility hours: Scheduled classes and workshops only; appointment by phone or email.

About the provider

White Pine Wilderness Academy was founded in 2014 by Matt Shull. It is a 501c3 non-profit organization and is described as the premier leader in outdoor education in Central Indiana. The program statement says it addresses the effects of nature deficit disorder through reconnection to place, community, ancestry, traditional cultures, and skills. The program also offers financial aid, and donor support helps provide access to children.

• Woolly Bears Forest School — 3-4 · Wednesdays, 9:00am-2:00pm · Alternative to traditional preschool; outdoor nature immersion, free play, guided nature lessons, and core routines.
• Tree Frogs Forest School — 5-6 · Alternative to traditional kindergarten; explores the Rocky Ripple campus and surrounding forested areas with stories, songs, crafting, guilds, and free play.
• Flying Squirrels Forest School — 7-9 · Explores the great outdoors with a balance of seasons, focused skills, and nature connection games.
• Scouts Forest School — 10-12 · Explores the great outdoors with a balance of seasons, focused skills, and nature connection games.
• Teens Forest School — 13-17 · Explores the great outdoors with seasons, focused skills, and nature connection games.
• Flying Squirrels After School — 7-9 · After-school Shikari sessions at the Rocky Ripple campus.
• Scouts After School — 9-12 · After-school Shikari sessions at the Rocky Ripple campus.
• Teens After School — 13-17 · After-school sessions for teens to unplug, immerse in nature, and train in wilderness skills.
• Protectors Club — 7-Adult · Martial arts, movement, and meditation.
• Summer Camps — 4-17 · One-week summer camps · Adventure camps with nature connection and survival skills; campers choose a Pathway.
• Fall Midwest Wildlife Tracking Intensive — In-depth training in wildlife tracking.
• Spring Midwest Wildlife Tracking Intensive — In-depth training in wildlife tracking.

Secular organization. Students and staff from many cultural and religious backgrounds. No belief system required other than following the 5 Agreements: Respect Life, Respect Each Other, Respect Ourselves, Respect The Circle, Be a Caretaker. Woolly Bears is outside 99% of the time. Teacher-to-student ratio for Woolly Bears is 1:5.

Last updated September 4, 2026.