Making things your neighbors actually need.
In-person. Allotment compatible. School-agnostic.
Ember & Oak Institute is a local educational institute serving the Mat-Su Valley homeschool families. We blend timeless wisdom with modern, hands-on, Socratic learning. All programs satisfy both State and Federal requirements.
Founded by Richard Garrick and Aimee Loomis. In-person gatherings in the Wasilla area for ages 10–17.
Entrepreneurship here is not about scaling fast. It is about making something your neighbors actually need and can afford to repair — with care for the place it comes from.
A student took a second-hand laser etcher and started making coasters — simple, useful things people actually wanted. They priced them fairly, set up at local markets, and learned what it means to show up, talk to customers, and adjust when something doesn’t sell.
We also teach a personal finance course inside this branch so students understand the real numbers behind a venture — how to track costs, set prices that work, and think about what they’re building toward.
Another student is now researching and writing actual business plans using skills they first practiced in our Ember Tech path. They’re taking the same careful, questioning approach to the business side that they learned while building with code and AI.
We study pricing, storytelling, and the responsibility that comes with building something people rely on. The work is rooted in place — because a business that cares for its home is more likely to last.
Typically 8–14 students. In the Wasilla area. We meet around tables and sometimes around real fires. The technology and tools serve the person and the place.
We still work with soil, wood, words, and customers face to face. Business is a craft here — competence creates confidence and real freedom in Alaska.
Most of the real learning happens while listening to someone else. We deliberately slow down so every voice can be heard — including the ones that take longer to form.