At Unbound, our mission isn’t just about helping students get through school. It’s about equipping them to thrive in life. That means more than mastering content or checking boxes. It means building character, forming relationships, discovering purpose, and developing a faith that holds up under pressure. That’s the heartbeat behind a recent episode of the Unbound Podcast, where we discussed a critical question: What does education really need to prepare students for life beyond the classroom?

As a father, educator, and the president of Unbound, I’ve had countless conversations with families who are looking for something more. They want their kids to be prepared for real life, not just for tests. They want their students to be challenged, mentored, and trained to engage the world as Christians. And increasingly, they want an education model that doesn’t just conform to the system but reimagines what education could be.

The Problem with Modern Education

The truth is, most of our current educational models were designed for a different era. They prepare students for a system that no longer exists. And too often, they miss the things that matter most. Things like:

• Resilience
• Purpose
• Work ethic
• Emotional and spiritual maturity
• Relational depth

In the podcast, we talk about how young adults today are facing real-world challenges that can’t be solved by academics alone. They need experiences that stretch them, mentors who walk with them, and a community that encourages them to become more than consumers of knowledge—they need to become contributors to the world around them.

The Value of Relationships in Education

One of the most powerful themes from our discussion was the role of intentional relationships in education. Students need adults in their lives who know them, challenge them, and believe in them. Not just teachers. Not just content experts. Mentors. Coaches. Guides.

This isn’t optional. It’s essential.

When students are surrounded by wise, intentional adults who are invested in their growth, they begin to rise to the occasion. They grow in confidence. They take risks. They try new things. And when they fall down, they get back up—because someone is walking with them.

That’s one of the things we’ve built into the core of Ascend. Every student is part of a team. Every team has a dedicated team leader. Students receive regular coaching, guidance, and feedback. And over the course of the year, they form real, lasting relationships with peers and mentors who walk with them through one of the most formative seasons of their lives.

Education as Discipleship

At Unbound, we believe that all of life is discipleship—and that includes education. You can’t separate spiritual formation from intellectual development. And you can’t outsource discipleship to a textbook.

In the podcast, we talk about how a truly Christian approach to education can’t be compartmentalized. It must be holistic. That means engaging the heart, mind, body, and soul. It means asking hard questions. Wrestling with truth. Learning to hear God’s voice in the middle of real decisions.

Students today don’t need more formulas. They need a framework for living faithfully in a complex, changing world. They need a place where they can ask, try, fail, reflect, and grow. That’s why Ascend is built around hands-on projects, team mentorship, leadership development, and opportunities to reflect and apply what they’re learning.

Real Learning Happens in Real Life

One of the things I’ve seen time and time again is that the most meaningful learning doesn’t happen when students are just consuming content. It happens when they’re doing something with it.

Whether that’s:

• Planning and executing a team project
• Leading a small group discussion
• Serving at an event
• Building a skillset through trial and error
• Debriefing a hard situation with a mentor

These are the kinds of experiences that shape students into adults. And they’re the kinds of experiences we prioritize at Unbound.

This isn’t education for education’s sake. This is education for life’s sake. It’s built on the belief that students are capable of far more than our culture gives them credit for—and when we challenge them to rise, they often do.

How Ascend Helps Students Rise to the Challenge

Our Ascend program was built with this exact vision in mind. It’s a 10-month, project-based experience designed to help students grow in practical skills, leadership, purpose, and faith. It’s not a replacement for college—but it’s a powerful way to prepare students for college, work, ministry, or entrepreneurship.

Students in Ascend:

• Attend live, in-person events to build community and leadership skills
• Complete a hands-on project that matches their interests and goals
• Meet regularly with mentors in a team environment
• Take courses in Christian leadership, life purpose, and applied learning
• Reflect, debrief, and grow in self-awareness through guided tools and coaching

It’s a powerful alternative to the traditional path. And for many students, it’s exactly what they need to step confidently into adulthood.

A Better Way Forward

If you’re a parent or a student wondering if there’s a better way—there is. You don’t have to settle for the system. You don’t have to outsource your student’s development. And you don’t have to choose between faith and preparation.

You can pursue an education that’s Christ-centered, project-based, community-driven, and built for the real world.

That’s what we’re doing at Unbound.

🎧 Listen to this episode of the Unbound Podcast to hear more about our vision for meaningful, discipleship-driven education.And if you want to learn more about how Ascend can help your student thrive, visit beunbound.us/ascend.