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Barefoot University was started by two moms looking for a community to walk alongside them and their kids' zeal for nature while navigating homeschooling, parenting, and life. Out of that, our purpose was created!
We started in 2019 and Barefoot University has been sprouting ever since. We are so happy more people have the opportunity to connect their family to nature. BU is a 501(c)3 registered non-profit and operates under those terms.
Our mission is, “Connecting homeschool families to nature and each other.”
We aim to connect kids to nature by encouraging child-led experiences, play, and outdoor hands-on learning.
At Barefoot University, we follow forest school principles for child-led outdoor exploration, risk play, and nature-based skills.
BU aims to create strong communities of families who enjoy meeting together weekly. We organize our activities by focusing on yearly learning rhythms and also teach kids the importance of serving through community service projects.
Madeleine is a homeschooling mom of one. Madeleine is a holistic nutritionist with a specialty in urban farming and sustainability. She is passionate about homesteading and taking care of animals. If she’s not at forest school, you can usually find her in the garden.
Amber is a homeschooling mom of four. Her third ignited her passion for nature and was the inspiration behind starting a forest school. Amber has extensive sales and marketing experience and has served on the board for several NPOs. She is passionate about Jesus and natural living - both of which have also fostered her love of nature's beauty and benefits.
Getting homeschool families connected to nature and each other is a BU priority. There are so many physical, educational, and spiritual benefits to spending time outside and making it part of your child’s education. This is the primary focus of BU.
Barefoot University offers financial aid to provide forest school for homeschool families who are not financially able to join our program.
We are so passionate about the benefits of nature and nature education, we are also taking BU into low-income areas and have a plan to reach public schools with our program so that all kids can experience the Barefoot philosophy.
Kristin serves as a volunteer taking on the responsibility of ensuring that Barefoot University is fully funded for the annual budget approved by the Board. The budget might be partially funded through enrollment fees, but grants, fundraising, and donations stand in the gap. Money is vital to any organization, there is almost always a gap
Kristin serves as a volunteer taking on the responsibility of ensuring that Barefoot University is fully funded for the annual budget approved by the Board. The budget might be partially funded through enrollment fees, but grants, fundraising, and donations stand in the gap. Money is vital to any organization, there is almost always a gap between the money the nonprofit is guaranteed to receive and what they actually need to provide their programs and services. Kristin is responsible for creating a plan that bridges the budgetary gap and then oversees volunteers in helping the fulfillment of that plan. She is Mom to 2 Barefoot boys and has been involved with Barefoot in the Southlake, Texas group since our inception.
Emily is the regional leader rep for Virginia and North Carolina. She has served as a community leader since 2021 and prior to her 2023 role as a regional leader rep, she managed the BU retail store. Additionally, she has a degree in public relations and occasionally volunteers her time to assist non-profits with PR consultation. Other th
Emily is the regional leader rep for Virginia and North Carolina. She has served as a community leader since 2021 and prior to her 2023 role as a regional leader rep, she managed the BU retail store. Additionally, she has a degree in public relations and occasionally volunteers her time to assist non-profits with PR consultation. Other than homeschooling, forest school and BU, Emily’s passions include natural parenting, traveling, medicinal plants and herbs, genealogy, British royal history, and bingeing political and legal thrillers on Netflix with her husband. Emily, her husband, and 5 children reside on a sheep farm in central Virginia, where they enjoy not only their sheep but a cow, a goat, chickens, and a menagerie of dogs as well.
Kristin Palen, OTR/L is a co-leader of the Kitty Hawk, NC Barefoot University Forest School group. She is an occupational therapist with over 20 years of experience solely in pediatrics. Kristin is the owner of Coastal Connections Pediatric Therapy, in the Outer Banks North Carolina. Her practice provides direct nature based occupatio
Kristin Palen, OTR/L is a co-leader of the Kitty Hawk, NC Barefoot University Forest School group. She is an occupational therapist with over 20 years of experience solely in pediatrics. Kristin is the owner of Coastal Connections Pediatric Therapy, in the Outer Banks North Carolina. Her practice provides direct nature based occupational therapy services in the outdoors, as well as nature enrichment classes, homeschool and parent coaching. Kristin uses a child-led, strength based approach using all the regulating benefits of nature encouraging open ended exploration. Kristin’s areas of interest and specialty are nature-based therapy, sensory integration, and self-regulation. Being part of a neurodiverse family Kristin particularly enjoys supporting and coaching fellow neurodiverse families to adapt, accommodate and meet the needs of their children.
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Barefoot University Forest School is a nonprofit, tax-exempt charitable organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code. Donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law.