Turning Traditional
Education on its Head.

Anja Pfeffer started Dare To Be Me (DTBM) in the fall of 2020 at Hazen Union School amidst the utter chaos and uncertainty of the Covid pandemic.

The original purpose of this pilot program was to develop an educational philosophy and practice with the following goals:

• to reach students who otherwise might fall through the cracks of the system,
• to foster an “I can” attitude to counter the all too prevalent sense of learned helplessness,
• to practice healthy ways of being that can contribute to a life-long pursuit of holistic wellbeing,
• to provide embodied and in-depth learning experiences by getting outside, breathing fresh air, and engaging our hearts, senses, bodies, and minds.

All activities were aimed at being trauma-sensitive, not only because so many of her students had experienced trauma, but because Ms. Pfeffer strongly believed that this approach would benefit everyone and would have the power to change education as a whole. By blending active time in Nature with opportunities for mindfulness, quiet introspection, and meaningful conversations, DTBM students learned to understand themselves better and to develop the courage to lean into who they wanted to become. During the 2020-21 school year, 24 students in two different groups took part in this experience.

Sabbatical Year

In February 2021, Ms. Pfeffer was awarded a Rowland Fellowship for her development of the DTBM pilot program and her vision to create a culture of holistic well-being at Hazen Union School and beyond. During her sabbatical year, she was given the crucial time and space to step back, to evaluate what had worked and what had not worked, and to strengthen the foundational pillars of DTBM. In hopes of synthesizing deep connection to the natural world, contemplative and mindfulness practice, identity exploration, adventure and movement into a transferable educational philosophy and practice, she immersed herself in these modalities, connected with other visionary educators and learned from schools that offer similar approaches.

DTBM Now

DTBM is constantly evolving and expanding. At Hazen Union School in Hardwick, Vermont, it exists as an academic option for interested students alongside the traditional course offerings. As an established credit-bearing high school class (1/2 English & 1/2 PE credit), its unique approach allows students to experience learning through the lens of self-expression, belonging, growth, and courage. Its philosophy and strategies have been successfully incorporated into an Integrated Math class, which has encouraged efforts to do the same in other academic subjects. Dare To Be Me has proven to benefit everyone, students and adults alike.

Anja Pfeffer, Founder of Dare To Be Me

Anja Pfeffer grew up in former East Germany. After the Berlin Wall fell, she began to study the Korean inner martial art WonHwaDo which eventually led her to South Korea where she learned the traditional way of “The Art of Circular Harmony” under Great Grandmaster Han BongGi. Soon thereafter, she was offered a teaching assistantship in the German Department of Lawrence University, Wisconsin, where she graduated with a teaching degree in French, German, and Mandarin.

She has been teaching World Languages and WonHwaDo in public high schools in Vermont for over 20 years and integrating the concepts of circular harmony in and outside of the classroom. After graduating from Prescott College with a Master of Arts in Equine-Assisted Experiential Education in 2016, she developed Walking With Horses, a program that brings students and horses together to build mutually enriching relationships grounded in a heightened sense of awareness, respect, and connection.

Dare To Be Me was inspired by Anja Pfeffer’s passion for the more-than-human world and her dream of schools being places where students and adults co-create a culture of healing and thriving. In that vein, she continues to dedicate her personal and professional studies to the fostering of an education that centers the heart-body-mind system and the deep appreciation for the interconnectedness of all beings.

Solomon Lew-Raskin, Dare To Be Me Assistant

Solomon Lew grew up in Hardwick which made him appreciate his community and understand the importance of helping other people. After completing two 11-month terms of volunteer service with AmeriCorps, he graduated from Vermont Technical College with his Bachelor’s of Science in Diversified Agriculture. He then worked at Hardwick Elementary School’s after school program REACH!, was a summer camp counselor at the Farm and Wilderness’ camp Flying Cloud, and served as a Natural Resources Instructor at GMCC’s Buck Lake campus. 

His position as Outdoor Paraeducator at Hazen is the continuation of his professional career in working with children and teens. He is very excited to help shape Dare To Be Me because he sees it as a way to improve many students’ experience of school. As an alumni of Hazen and the Pathways program, he has a personal investment in the community and the school.

Amy Rosenthal,  Dare To Be Me Community Mentor

Amy first became familiar with Anja’s work and Dare To Be Me when she was a member of the Hazen Union School Board. A chance meeting with some Dare To Be Me students on the Hazen trails while walking her puppy Lewis during the fall of 2020 led to a deepening relationship with the students and the desire to work with them directly. Upon retiring from the school board in 2022, Amy decided to use her free time and her talents to volunteer with the Dare To Be Me class. By the fall of 2022, she and her now two puppies Lewis and Ruthie became regular members of Dare To Be Me – walking with students every day, baking and cooking with and for them, and supporting them in a multitude of ways.

In her pre-Dare To Be Me life, Amy was a social worker and worked almost exclusively as a crime victim’s advocate. She served as a police social worker and the Executive Director of several domestic violence agencies in Tennessee and North Carolina. She moved to Vermont in 2004 to become the Director of Victim Services for the Vermont Department of Corrections – a position she retired from in 2015. Since her retirement she has taught Positive Psychology at what was formerly Johnson State and served as an assistant instructor for the Masters of Positive Psychology Program at the University of Pennsylvania. She is also the Mitzvah coordinator at the Jewish Community of Greater Stowe where she tutors students in Hebrew and prepares them for their Bar or Bat Mitzvahs.  

Amy believes strongly that community members have the power and the responsibility to not just pay taxes but to get directly engaged with schools so they become the environments of true learning that students and teachers need. When relationships get formed between schools and members of the community and skills and talents are shared, we are all better for it. 

Lewis & Ruthie, Dare To Be Me Canine Assistants

Lewis and Ruthie, both miniature Goldendoodles, have been involved with Dare To Be Me for most of their lives. Lewis first encountered the class in the fall of 2020 as a six month old puppy. He was exploring the walking trails behind Hazen Union School with his person Amy when he came upon the initial Dare To Be Me students who were doing their own exploration of the woods. He began to schedule his walks to coincide with theirs and soon joined them on a regular basis. Two years later, his younger sister Ruthie arrived. She became the newest member of the class at only four months old. Both have been an integral part of Dare To Be Me’s daily walks ever since.

Lewis and Ruthie bring a unique perspective and energy to Dare To Be Me. Their enthusiasm when greeting each student or when walking through the woods is infectious. They model play  and have an uncanny ability to feel and uplift the energy in the group. Whenever anyone – student or adult alike – is having a bad day, they generously share extra love and attention and don’t stop until they see a smile on that person’s face. Their involvement in this class speaks to the creativity of Dare To Be Me and its philosophy that mutually beneficial relationships between humans, the natural world and animals enhance our experience as learners.

The Rowland Foundation

The Rowland Foundation was created in 2009 with the goal of bringing long-lasting positive change to Vermont schools. Generously funded by Wendy and Barry Rowland and inspired by former executive director Chuck Scranton, the Rowland Foundation aims to improve the overall culture and climate in schools all across the state. Every year, up to six visionary Vermont middle and high school teachers receive a Rowland Fellowship which allows them to immerse themselves in a particular project that will have a profound impact on students and enhance their experience of school.