Portland, OR. More than 220 guests gathered at the Portland Art Museum on March 2nd, for Northwest Academy’s annual auction, Club Cabaret – The Northwest Academy Awards. Shannon Jones, Jeremy Weber, Chris Runyard, and Lisa Larpenteur were among the supporters at the benefit. The audience, comprised of parents, trustees, advocates of the school, sponsors, and extended community, along with a challenge grant from the Quest Foundation, raised more than $260,000 in support of programs and student scholarships at Northwest Academy. (Photo credit, Andie Petkus)
John & Renee Gorham
Board Chair Jason Matusow & Northwest Academy Founder Mary Vinton Folberg
Kathy Oh-Keith and Leah Swartley
Chris Schuck, Head of School
From Northwest Academy:
Our Mission
Northwest Academy is committed to inspiring students to discover their intellectual and artistic voices in a creative and supportive atmosphere fueled by curiosity and constructive challenge.
Vision
Northwest Academy will be recognized as a center of excellence in proficiency-based education, artfully blending academic instruction and experience. Graduates of the school will be innovative thinkers who chart their own futures and excel in a diverse global society.
Core Values
Northwest Academy’s core values guide the Board, administration, faculty and staff in their efforts to provide students with a challenging and unique education.
- Education in both academics and arts, results in a more complete and balanced individual who, while being productive, also leads an inspired and meaningful life.
- Talented faculty, passionate about their subject areas, and the support of free and open inquiry motivates students’ interest in learning and creative thinking.
- Student engagement, curiosity and creative thinking expand when nurtured by accomplished and energetic faculty who promote participation and welcome debate.
- Students thrive in an environment where both individuality and collaboration are encouraged and fostered.
- Proficiency-based placement enhances students’ motivation and initiative, while allowing a student to work through education at relatively accelerated or a more leisurely personal pace.
- Intellectual and artistic courage grow from a culture that stimulates fascination with ideas and diversity of perspective.
- Students achieve when they are guided to be self-reliant, intrinsically motivated and advocates for themselves.
- Students reach higher personal levels when they work in a psychologically safe environment, devoid of put-downs, ridicule, and social cliques. It is the school’s understanding that a student culture with these important values must be strategically developed and upheld.
- Creativity is one of the most important human qualities that must be nurtured if a student is to become adaptable during change.
- The school intends to recognize talent in its faculty, students and administrators. It will be an environment that nurtures and supports achievement, curiosity, risk-taking, hard work and questioning.
