Experiential Learning

Students thrive with our experiential approach to learning. Learning purposefully and harnessing the power of the digital age, our upper schoolers prepare for a future of continual change and globalization. Applying the lenses of design thinking, leadership, service, and sustainability, they delve into our college-prep program in meaningful ways. Whether cultivating a permaculture orchard, scripting and filming a 15-minute documentary, or setting up and running their own businesses, Upper School students hone essential transferable skills—critical thinking, effective communication, collaboration, and independence.

Here are just some of the ways Upper School students learn:

Experiential Travel

Purposeful travel is a powerful teaching tool. Upper School students have the opportunity to travel beyond campus borders to places all over the globe through a variety of travel opportunities based on curriculum, character development, and community service.

Each fall, Upper School students participate in week-long character education trips, embracing challenges and taking teamwork to new heights. For students in grades 9 and 11, these trips are coordinated in partnership with Outward Bound, a leading provider of experiential and outdoor education for youth. Grade 9 students canoe in Minnesota while grade 11 students sail in Maine. Students in grade 10 travel to Boston to take a deeper dive in history. Students in grade 12 participate in a leadership retreat conducted by the School in partnership with the Leelanau Outdoor Center in northern Michigan.

Students have the opportunity to participate in up to seven additional trips. Whether it’s traveling to Israel or Greece with a Bible class, learning about language and culture in Spain or Taiwan, or trekking through the wilderness doing Field and Natural History work in Wyoming, our students have excellent curriculum-based trip opportunities. Additionally, there is one community service trip to South Africa focused on improving humanity in tangible ways.

Students also get into our local St. Louis community for activities that support classroom learning, service activities, and projects centered around local issues.

Learn more about our educational trips

Entrepreneurship

Impact Challenge

As part of a school-wide campaign, our School’s annual Impact Challenge supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals of eliminating hunger and poverty, education for all, clean energy, and more through student projects, classroom work, and community-service initiatives at all levels. Students work to solve real-world issues through individual and group projects, which they then present to a panel of experts. Get a glimpse of the Impact Challenge Showcase in this student-created recap.

Signature Experience

The Signature Experience builds upon the Upper School’s core curriculum to offer additional peak opportunities for students to develop deeper connections in their learning. Each academic year (grades 9–12) includes an intentional programmatic focus that extends to classes, projects, and activities. The purpose of the Signature Experience is to further develop future-ready skills that prepare students for success in college and beyond. This includes the Urban Experience, which provides opportunities for students to connect with the St. Louis community through integrated learning which reinforces the class-level themes. Throughout their time at Principia, students become capable young adults who are innovative, selfless, ethical, intentional, and collaborative.

Freshmen focus on gaining awareness of how a place—and the people who live there—work together to build a thriving community.
The sophomore experience is centered around identity and brand.
Juniors explore what being a change agent looks like in today’s world.
Senior year focuses on excellence, continuous improvement, character, leadership, and essential communication and critical thinking skills.

IDEA Lab (STEM curriculum)

Our IDEA Lab, is a STEM-based space for experiential learning—moving beyond textbooks and theory to improve future-ready skills. Here, students collaborate, create, and develop a deeper understanding and enjoyment of math, science, graphic design, and more. Innovative workstations allow students to develop skills to tackle 21st-century challenges with unique project-based learning opportunities. Whether they’re writing computer code or working with circuitry, our students engage in complex problem solving every day.

Senior Projects

All Seniors have the option to apply to participate in an independent Senior Project completed outside the typical school setting. Students propose and create a project that will allow them to learn through exploration and experience. The work culminates in a two-week capstone experience. These projects are a natural outcome of a Principia education and demand careful planning, self-discipline, and follow-through.

See where we learn

Learning Spaces

Explore the stunning spaces where our students learn, play, and grow.

See Learning Spaces

See our Campus

Take a peek at our beautiful 360-acre campus, including school facilities, green spaces, fields, woods, and more.

Views of Campus