At Roycemore, learning is a “grow as you go” experience. As students move from year to year, their curiosity deepens, their confidence builds, and, bit by bit, they take on new challenges with greater independence.

Our three Signature Programs—DIG Deep, Personal Passion Project (P3), and January Short Term (JST)—are at the heart of that journey. Each one nurtures creativity, collaboration, and communication, while also helping students strengthen their executive functioning and sense of independence. The scaffolding shifts as they grow: in the early years, we guide the process closely; by high school, they’re designing and managing entire projects on their own.

The continuum begins in our Early Childhood and Lower School classrooms with DIG Deep. Through the lens of community, students learn to empathize, define problems, and imagine creative solutions. These early experiences lay the groundwork for critical thinking and collaboration. We model the design-thinking process, helping students move step by step through planning, creating, and testing. Along the way, they practice organization, flexibility, and persistence—all key parts of executive functioning. By the time students share their prototypes at the DIG Deep Expo, they’re already developing the communication skills and confidence that will carry them forward.

By Middle School, students are ready for more autonomy. P3 invites them to explore something they care deeply about—something that feels meaningful and truly theirs. Instead of focusing on learning new content, the structure shifts toward coaching: planning, managing time, reaching out to mentors, and reflecting on growth. Students are still supported but steer the process themselves. P3 is a big step in taking ownership of their learning, with just enough scaffolding to help them succeed. When they reach Experience Week and the P3 Expo, students see themselves as capable creators, thinkers, and doers.

In Upper School, JST gives students the chance to put everything they’ve learned into action. It’s where creativity, self-management, and independence come together in full force. Students identify a topic or experience they want to explore, plan their own schedules, communicate with mentors, and reflect deeply on their learning. Some intern, some create, some research—all of them design their own adventure. At the end of JST, when students present at the Expo, they’re not just showing what they did—they’re sharing who they’ve become through their immersive, independent learning journey.

Through each of these programs, we gradually release responsibility and build independence. Step by step, Roycemore students become imaginative problem-solvers, confident communicators, and thoughtful citizens—ready to design, innovate, and grow beyond our walls.

To learn more about Signature Experiential Programs at Roycemore, click here.