FAQs

What is Edgestrider Academy?
Edgestrider Academy is an experiential school that uses a unique environment based on live-action gaming concepts to give participants opportunities to build skills that can be useful in the real world.
What skills do participants build and practice?
The list is long, and each participant’s personal experience will differ from the next based on their experiences in the game environment, as well as their personal interests. Skills that have been learned and practiced in the past are: self defense, teamwork and team mentality, understanding of others, friendship building and maintenance, awareness of the world around us, confidence, self awareness, desire for personal growth, modern survival principles, basic first aid skills, and more. Please be aware that we currently do not provide certifications for any of these skills.
What environment does Edgestrider Academy create?

We run two main types of events: Training Sessions and Mission Events. Training Sessions allow us to have a bit more formal environment for conveying skills to participants, but this environment is outdoors and very active. We craft the environment for the Mission Events into fun and thrilling situations that use a story to create a scenario that you can immerse yourself in and safely use the skills you’ve learned with us. The goal is to provide the opportunity for experiences that foster personal awareness and growth. All of our events are mostly outdoors, and utilize a game-world with made up characters for participants to interact with. Participants camp in tents in the warm months and stay in cabins and hotels in the cold months, and they join a team of peers to take on challenges along side their team leader.

Do you only run events in the summer?

No. We run events year-round, usually every month. Typically, we run Training Sessions on Sundays and one weekend Mission Event per month. Please check our calendar for details on upcoming events.

How do we use live-action gaming concepts, and how are we different than a LARP?
The basic format of a Live Action Role Playing game (or LARP) is this: you are a player and you create a fake persona to play as your character during the game. Your character has skills and abilities that you don’t have, and may act in ways that you normally would not. You, as your character, go out into a safely simulated world to conquer challenges, talk to other characters, and even do battle with safe foam swords. As time passes, you can improve your character’s abilities by gaining experience and leveling up.
Our modification of the LARP format removes the part where you create a fake character with fake abilities. In our game, you are YOU. You can do everything, and only everything, that you can really do in real life. You act as you normally would, and you gain valuable experience as you confront the challenges of the game as yourself. Using this modification, you gain the opportunity to explore yourself and your real abilities in a safe and interesting environment. And when the time comes when you want to improve yourself, you can learn new skills or improve skills you already knew in reality, and then put those skills to use in our game environment.
How will I benefit from going to Edgestrider Academy?
Edgestrider Academy is heavily interested in the personal growth of its participants. The benefits of attending Edgestrider events often include building self knowledge and awareness of the world, building confidence and mindfulness with your own abilities and convictions, building strong friendships, learning and practicing useful skills, having lots of fun, and being entertained by an intriguing and thrilling story.
How will the world benefit from Edgestrider Academy?
We ascribe to the philosophy that bettering the individual betters the whole. Participants can take the ways that they have grown out into their careers, their families, their relationships, and spread a new way of thinking and acting to the world, one action at a time. That new way of thinking is this: know yourself and all the power you have to affect the world around you, and to use that power in an ethical way to the benefit of yourself and others. We help participants realize the power they have to affect the world around them, and we encourage our participants to get involved in the world and help people. Participants can apply what they have learned to the community they live in, and the community benefits from the strong character and skills that these students have cultivated.
What is the cost to attend?

Currently, the fee structure for attendance is as follows:

Training sessions are free to attend.

2-day/1-night event = $150

3-day/2-night event = $225

4-day/3-night event = $300

7-day/6-night event = $525

14-day/13-night event = $1050

Our main methods of accepting payments are through cash, check, or PayPal.

We also accept donations and use those donations to provide an In-House Financial Aid program, that allows the recipient to attend at a discounted fee. For more information on this In-House Financial Aid program, please check out the information and application forms located here.

Why does it cost this amount?

It is extremely important to us that the benefits that our program offers are kept within reach of all people, regardless of their financial situations, but we are also in need of financial income to support our organization and continue operations. As a nonprofit, all of the income of the organization goes into the sustainability, operation, and improvement of the programs we offer. We noticed the high prices of many other children’s activities available and aimed to be as low in cost as possible; however, if you cannot afford to pay the participation fee, we want you to be able to attend anyway. Towards that end, we offer an In-House Financial Aid program, and you can find out more details about it here.

Do we accept donations or partnerships?

We are happy to accept donations, and are interested in discussing any sponsorship or partnership opportunities that would benefit the students that attend our programs. If you have an idea for a sponsorship or partnership, please contact us here. If you want to make a donation, you may do so here. All donations will go to the In-House Financial Aid program that we offer to allow students who cannot afford to attend to still come and participate.

Some events will ask for a suggested donation instead of a fee. If this is the case, we strongly urge participants to make a donation similar to the usual cost of the event; however, please note that the suggested donation is simply a suggestion, and is in no way a requirement of attendance for those specific events only.

What does my attendance fee cover?

Attendance fees cover expenses for events, including lodging, supplies, staff, and insurance. We do not supply food or personal gear at our events, so please remember to bring enough food and any personal gear that you may need with you to the event. If there is a special cost associated with the event, such as money for a bus ticket, we will let you know ahead of time because that cost will be in addition to the attendance fee for the event.

What are the refund policies?

Because we aim to have as low and affordable fees as possible, and have to reserve locations ahead of time and often must make a deposit make those reservations, we currently cannot offer refunds on donations or attendance fees. Please be sure you are going to attend or wish to donate before you do so.

How do I join?

Please contact us to sign up for our mailing list, or sign up for the newsletter on the home page of our website. Once on the mailing list, you will receive emails giving dates of upcoming events. You can also look at our event calendar on Facebook to see upcoming events; however, the details are only given out via email to protect the privacy of the participants. Once you have decided to attend an event, you can register online by clicking on the orange “Register” button on the specific event you want to attend. You must be registered by the noon of the day before the event starts or we will not have enough space for you to attend. Once you have registered, you will get a confirmation email and an email with all the logistical details about that event, including location, driving directions, and suggested gear to bring. Then we will see you at the event!

Should I start by going to a Mission Event or a Training Session?

This is totally up to you. If you want to jump right into the thick of the story, come to a Mission Event first. If you want to learn some skills and ease a bit into things, come to a Training Session first.

If you have a question that is not covered here, please email us.

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