257. Springhouse
How a voice saved my life & inspired a school, with founder Jenny Finn
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What if education wasn't about testing and credentials, but about awakening to the fire of life that burns within each of us? In this profound conversation, Jenny Finn shares the remarkable story behind Springhouse Community School - a place where vitality, not standardization, sits at the center of learning.
Jenny's journey begins with her own awakening at age 20, when a mysterious voice cut through her alcohol addiction with crystal clarity: "Put your drinks down. You will never drink again." This moment of transformation, followed by surviving a life-threatening cancer diagnosis at 25, set her on a path to create educational spaces where people could connect with what she calls "the fire that takes no wood" - that inextinguishable spark of life within us all.
Through a series of synchronistic events, Jenny found herself pulled to Floyd County, Virginia - a place with rolling hills and ancient wisdom in the land. There, Springhouse was born not from a detailed plan, but from following one step at a time. What emerged is a K-12 bilingual school with adult programs, community networks, and even a letterpress print shop that originated from a chance encounter in Ireland.
The economic model at Springhouse reflects their commitment to placing life at the center: a participatory budgeting process where staff openly discuss their financial needs, a sliding scale where some students pay nothing while others contribute what they can, and a culture of trust that transcends traditional notions of scarcity. "Do your best, be in service to life, and you will be taken care of," Jenny shares as the guiding wisdom behind their approach.
As our conversation unfolds in a car (after spices from the kitchen drove us from our original recording location!), Jenny reflects on what's truly at stake in education and in our lives: "What are we fighting for? Are we fighting for a political party? Are we fighting for a particular cause? All of that is what it is, but for me, it's deeper than that."
Whether you're an educator seeking alternatives, a parent wondering about different possibilities for your children, or anyone interested in what it means to align our institutions with life itself, this conversation offers both practical examples and soul-stirring inspiration.