How was started Wake The Wild

How 28,000 miles, 33 states, 24 National Parks and Monuments, and a different way of learning led us home.

We are the Smiths — the family behind Wake The Wild.

But the story of Wake The Wild actually started long before it had a name.

Six years ago, we realized that the modern school structure didn't align with our family's values and rhythms. We wanted something different for our kids — more freedom, more time together, and more opportunities to experience the world beyond the walls of a traditional classroom.

That's when our homeschool journey began.

Then We Went All In

In 2024, we decided to take that freedom quite literally.

We packed up our family and spent eight months traveling across the country.

We drove 28,000 miles, traveled through 33 states, and visited 24 National Parks and National Monuments, making our way from Key West, Florida, all the way to Kenai, Alaska — and back home again.

Along the way, we started calling ourselves the "All In Family."

For us, being All In meant saying yes to adventure, discovery, and growth. It meant homeschooling on the road, exploring the outdoors, experiencing new places, and chasing adventure together as a family.

And somewhere along those 28,000 miles, something became really clear to us:

Learning didn't have to look like school.

Some of the most meaningful lessons our kids were learning weren't happening at a desk.

They were happening out in the world.

We Came Home Wanting More

When we returned home to Naples, we knew we didn't want that kind of learning to end just because the road trip had.

We wanted to keep pursuing meaningful educational experiences with our kids — experiences that allowed them to move, explore, get outside, ask questions, and actually experience what they were learning.

That desire eventually led our family to Surf Skate Science.

Our kids went shark tagging. We helped release sea turtles. We participated in hands-on science experiences that brought together education, nature, action, and adventure.

And we saw firsthand just how powerful that kind of learning could be.

We also realized something:

We wanted more of it here.

We wanted families on the West Coast of Florida to have access to these kinds of experiences, too.

And Wake The Wild Was Born

What started as a desire to create meaningful experiences for our own kids grew into a much bigger dream.

Wake The Wild.

Adventure. Discovery. Growth.

Those aren't just words to us. They're at the heart of the experiences we want to create.

Our dream is to build a community where homeschool families who love adventure, action sports, nature, and hands-on learning can come together.

Because this was never meant to be just about events or classes.

It's about cultivating curiosity.

It's about giving kids the freedom to explore.

It's about getting outside, trying something new, doing hard things, asking questions, building confidence, and experiencing the wonder of the world around them.

And we're not building something that we simply drop our kids off at.

Our family is right there in it, too.

We'll be in the boat.

We'll be on the rock wall.

We'll be exploring alongside you.

We'll be in the community with your family while we're raising our own.

Because at the end of the day, we desire the same things for our kids that so many of you desire for yours — opportunities to grow in confidence, character, and connection while experiencing a childhood filled with curiosity and adventure.

We don't know exactly where this adventure will take us.

But if there's one thing our family has learned, it's that some pretty incredible things can happen when you're willing to go All In.

We're All In for our kids, for your kids, and for every family ready to Wake The Wild.