“LEARNING BY DOING”
Through our unique learning environments since 1985, Living Classrooms continues providing access to more equitable education, workforce development, health and wellness, and community safety opportunities that enable individuals to achieve their goals and build safer, stronger, healthier communities. Through decades of work in Baltimore and Washington, DC, Living Classrooms has collaborated within our community with corporate and private supporters and leaders at all levels, from our neighborhood associations to our City Halls, to implement community-driven, research-based, best practices that value the priorities, goals, and aspirations of our community and deliver both opportunity and results.
Programming occurs at multiple locations in Baltimore and the National Capital Region, which have been developed in collaboration with residents in the surrounding neighborhoods, including our Community Hubs (UA House, POWER House, Patterson Park House, Bauer Workforce Development Center, and the James C. Dent House in DC); environmental education campuses that preserve and showcase urban green spaces and serve as outdoor learning laboratories; our public charter middle school; and our fleet of ships including active floating classrooms and stationary historic museum vessels that offer activities in STEM, ecology, and cultural and maritime heritage.
Mission
Our mission at Living Classrooms Foundation is to strengthen communities and inspire children, youth, and adults to achieve their potential through hands-on education, workforce development, health and wellness, and community safety programs that use urban, natural, and maritime resources as "living classrooms."
Vision
Our vision is to engage our community members in forging robust, equitable, and sustainable communities together. We do this by listening and working with communities to create effective hands-on education, workforce development, health and wellness, and community safety programs that tackle deep-rooted challenges. We set ambitious goals, from academic achievement and living-wage job placement to healthy and safe communities.
OUR APPROACH & Commitment
Living Classrooms Education implements community-driven, research-based, best practices that value the priorities and aspirations of our communities and deliver both opportunity and results. We provide hands-on experiential learning opportunities for individuals of all ages through our unique learning environments. We endeavor to create both equitable access to opportunity and a sense of belonging in spaces where participants are safe, known, cared for, and welcome.
At Living Classrooms Foundation, we are dedicated to enhancing the lives and futures of children, youth, adults, and families while creating holistic and transformative programming with our communities.
AREAS OF FOCUS
Our Values
Excellence: We believe that every individual possesses the potential for greatness. We understand that the strength of our community lies in the resilience of each person. We are committed to being a catalyst for positive collective impact by nurturing the talents of all.
Collaboration: We recognize that great programs are built when communities are actively engaged in building them. We listen attentively, respond with empathy, and ensure that individuals, families, and stakeholders are central to our planning and programming.
Integrity: Respect and honesty are the foundational principles for our work. We maintain uncompromising standards, nurture a culture of dignity, and prioritize transparency. Our commitment to integrity is our compass, guiding us as we remain accountable to our communities, stakeholders, and supporters.
