OUR MISSION

Apogee St Pete is an alternative to the traditional school system for 5-12 year olds that fosters a self-driven passion for learning.

We prepare kids for life, not the next test or grade.

State of schools

What's happening in schools today?

The public school system is failing kids. But it's not broken, it's just obsolete (functioning as it was designed to do).

A few statistics that paint the current state:

  • 7 million children diagnosed with ADHD including 15% of boys

  • 45% of college grads don't hold a job that requires a degree...a decade after graduation

  • Almost half (44%) of new teachers quit within five years of starting their teaching career

The problem is clear, so what are parents to do?

apogee st pete

Core elements of our program

Project Based Learning

Real world skills developed through project-based, experiential learning, and Socratic discussions.

Purpose Driven

Students might not know how their careers will play out, but they will understand the "why" behind all that they do.

Entrepreneurial-minded

From elementary to high school, students will learn financial literacy in a way that will prepare them to run a business the rest of their life. 

Free Learning & Play

Personal interests meet learning styles: learners set, track, and achieve individualized goals with the support of a Socratic guide.

Focus on Fitness

Physical health is an important component of mental sharpness, and at Apogee St Pete, we incorporate that into each day.

Family First

The learning doesn't stop when the student goes home. Our families cultivate a culture of learning in every facet of life. 

Founding family

A husband and wife who are passionate about building a community that believes in the strength of the family unit and the necessity to guide children to become life-long learners, rather than top-tier test-takers.

Nick Tarsi

Nick headshot

Nick's passion is helping people find their calling. As a guy that stepped out of the corporate world 18 months into his career to become the first employee at a tech startup halfway across the country, he understands the "plight of the college grad."

Too many people struggle coming out of college (with $50k+ in loans) trying to find a career they like. It shouldn't be this way. When (and why) did "kids not leaving the house until their mid-20s" and putting themselves into massive debt become the norm?

There should be a better way to steward children to a fulfilling life, and it starts at the beginning of their schooling journey, not the end...

Karlia Tarsi

Karlia sitting in a chair

Growing up in a tumultuous family environment, Karlia's public school experience was comparable to many others: "Ace the test, forget the rest."

Not an experience she looks back on as one that cultivated a lot of learning (let alone personal passion). But it did stoke a fire in her that led to a career working with youths: first in a detention facility, then an elementary school and now serving as a Christian counselor.

As a therapist, Karlia believes in meeting people where they are at, and building a skillset to overcome future obstacles with their confidence.

Karlia’s vision is to create an environment at Apogee St Pete where children have a support system in place to learn what they are passionate about and foster their independence.

THE PHILOSOPHY

GET INSPIRED

“It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to

have tried to succeed.”

–Theodore Roosevelt-

Meet the Apogee St Pete team

Choose one