Mayapple School

Who We Are

We are The Mayapple School, a nonprofit early childcare provider for children ages 3-6 in the New River Valley that focuses on using the outdoors to help young minds and bodies grow. Using an integrated, playful curriculum with a focus on outdoor discovery, our students build an awareness of themselves, each other, and the world around us. The Mayapple School nurtures joyful, connected, and resilient children who are masters of their own learning and have a zest for life.

The Mayapple School also offers a rich summer camp curriculum for a wide range of ages, including camps to explore dramatic and fine arts, dairy cows and farming, outdoor survival skills, engineering, and imagination and creativity building through exploration of themes like fairies and monsters. 

Fundraising Needs

Since our inception in 2015, we have worked diligently on our mission to provide nature education programming. Your donation to The Mayapple School will help to increase accessibility of environmental education in our community and increase the number of available childcare openings. Recent estimates suggest that over 400 additional childcares slots are needed in Montgomery County. 

How we used the 2023 funds raised through Give Local NRV: 

The Mayapple School used the funds raised in 2023 to implement a portion of our expansion plan by expanding our summer camp offerings. In 2024, we are offering 10 weeks of summer camp programming. We are thrilled to be able to meet this community need.

A portion of funds, combined with monies raised at the varied and frequent fundraising events held throughout the year, allowed us to offer $6,800 in scholarships for families with economic need for childcare and/or summer camp. Providing childcare for all families in our community has always been a high priority, and we used funds raised here to better meet those needs.

2024-2025 Goals to Meet the Needs of the Community:

• Additional scholarships for childcare
  • For the 2024-2025 school year, The Mayapple School anticipates offering up to $6,800 in scholarships for families demonstrating financial need. A portion of funds raised will go towards meeting this need. 
• Renovating a permanent home for our school for future generations
  • The Mayapple School has been searching for a permanent site for over three years, and we are so lucky to have finally found our "forever home!" This past year, we purchased 2.6 acres with a home on it in Montgomery County, which we will renovate for use as a school. Our permanent home will allow The Mayapple School to: 
    • increase our enrollment capacity by 50%
    • increase the opportunities to create outdoor learning spaces and access nearby natural spaces
    • create stability and consistency for our organization through having agency over an owned property versus renting. 

Our Matching Donors

The Curcio Family has generously volunteered $1,000 as a matching donor. At the end of Giving Day's 24 hour period on noon at June 27th, The Mayapple School will unlock $1,000 if -- and only if -- we have received $1,000 in other donations by that time.

Nest Realty has generously volunteered $3,000 as a matching donor. At the end of Giving Day's 24 hour period on noon at June 27th, The Mayapple School will unlock $3,000 if -- and only if -- we have received $3,000 in other donations by that time.

Thank you for taking the time to consider donating to The Mayapple School. Your donation will help Mayapple continue to serve our community for generations to come!