Thankful for an Amazing Year! |
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| Dear Friends of Freedom,
Thank you for your continued trust and partnership during an extraordinary year at Freedom. Together, we are seeing our Eagles thrive - earning jobs and internships, improving grades, receiving scholarships and college acceptances, competing at the state level, and giving back through service. Their success reflects the powerful collaboration between our families and our program.
As Freedom’s nationally award-winning model gains recognition, demand continues to grow, with a two-year waiting list for enrollment. To expand access while staying true to our vision, we launched Freedom AI High as a flexible, AI-integrated option that is already nearly full. Even bigger news is ahead - 2026 will be a landmark year for Freedom. Thank you for being an essential part of our community, and we wish you a very Merry Christmas season. Soar Eagle 🦅!
Christopher Marker
CEO & Chief Learning Officer |
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Students in the first semester of Freedom Institute AI’s “Careers with AI” program rapidly mastered real-world AI tools — from summarizing complex content to drafting professional proposals — showing how AI fluency, when taught ethically and accessibly, can transform education into tangible career readiness. |
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Freedom AI Nominated for The Edison Award
We’re proud to share that our groundbreaking AI-powered high school program is officially in the running for the prestigious 2026 Edison Awards—a milestone that highlights the uniqueness of our program and the exciting future we’re building together. Cheer us on as we await the official award results. |
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Freedom Eagles Making a Difference
Congratulations to Avery & Sarah who were presented with “Do The Right Thing” awards at Naples City Hall earlier in November. Avery was recognized for volunteering countless hours supporting Naples Take a Soldier events from fishing tournaments to multi-day community events. Always smiling and ready to help, she embodies kindness, patriotism, and community service. Sarah founded Freedom's first Young America's Foundation (YAF) chapter and led a moving 9/11 memorial project, placing 2,997 flags on campus before sunrise. She continues to inspire her peers through leadership, service, and heartfelt
We are so proud of the kind, patriotic, beautiful citizens they are. Thank you to Naples Police for honoring them. We were so proud to have these Eagles represent Freedom! 🇺🇸🦅 |
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🎄Freedom Institute at the Naples Christmas Parade🎄
The Freedom Institute proudly made its debut in the Naples Christmas Parade on Tuesday, December 10th, showcasing a vibrant red, white, and blue float. Faculty, staff, students, spouses, and little ones all walked together with spirit and enthusiasm. Heartfelt thanks go to our generous float sponsors - Hotel Escalante, Brooks Brothers, Silverio & Hall, and Tulia Italian Steak—and a special appreciation to Mr. Vaill for his creative design and hands-on work in bringing the float to life. Grateful to everyone who helped make our first appearance unforgettable.
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Sophomore Erik A. exemplifies the momentum and opportunity that define The Freedom Institute. As one of our original students, he has leveraged every pathway available to accelerate his learning—already completing 24 college credits through Florida Southwestern State College and on pace to earn the 60 needed for an Associate’s Degree by the time he graduates. This year, he added real-world experience to his résumé through our partnership with Hendrick Automotive, working as a lube technician in a paid, hands-on internship.
"The opportunity at Rick Hendrick Chevrolet has been such a wonderful experience! Over the last three months I’ve gotten the chance to work as a Lube Tech servicing vehicles along with the team. I’ve not only been able to learn a ton, but also feel like I’ve became apart of the community. The leadership and environment at Rick Hendricks truly makes the workspace feel like a family. I’m very grateful and excited for what the future here holds for me!" - Erik A.'28
Ahead of him lies another layer of growth as he explores industry certifications through our Freedom AI programs as well as Lorenzo Walker Technical College’s dual-enrollment programs, all at no cost to his family. Erik’s journey shows what happens when a student can design a personalized route: more flexibility, earlier career exploration, and meaningful savings of both time and money. And when he walks across that graduation stage, he’ll do so with an extraordinary head start - ready for college, career, or both. What comes next for him? With this foundation, the sky is the limit for this Freedom Eagle.
Special thank you to Hendrick Automotive for our partnership! |
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At The Freedom Institute, we empower students to pursue their passions through a flexible, personalized learning model that adapts to their goals. With support from dedicated Success Coaches and a student-centered approach, learners can excel academically while exploring real-world interests and career paths. Mia is a shining example - balancing her studies with an intense commitment to ballet, she shows how our programs give students the freedom and confidence to grow, achieve, and truly soar.
"I’ve been in ballet since I was four years old. This is my fourteenth year at my academy and probably my twelfth Nutcracker. I really enjoy dancing because it expresses my emotions. My dance teachers inspire me to keep persevering even if things get hard. The Nutcracker is a really special experience that a lot of people come to see. I enjoy every aspect of leading up to performances like warm up classes, rehearsals, costume fittings, dress rehearsals, tech weeks, and all the little things. I’m incredibly grateful to be at the Freedom Institute, where the flexibility and support from my teachers allow me to balance my training and my schoolwork. I truly couldn’t do any of this without my mom—she keeps me grounded, motivated, and supported through everything. Dance has its ups and downs, but I love it deeply, and it continues to make me stronger." - Mia Casey '27
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"I'm currently shaping my professional path by working toward my Private Pilot License while also running my own mobile car-detailing business. Flight training has become a major focus for me, and every lesson brings me closer to achieving my goal of becoming a licensed pilot. It’s a process that teaches me discipline, patience, and responsibility—skills that help guide everything else I do.
Alongside aviation and entrepreneurship, I also work as a food runner at Dolphin Tiki Bar & Grill. Balancing my job with building my detailing business and progressing through flight training has taught me how to manage my time, stay organized, and keep moving toward my goals. This combination of work, business, and aviation experience is helping shape a strong foundation for my future.
Freedom showed me that no goal is too small to matter and no dream is too big to reach. That mindset has helped me stay motivated as I continue building my future." - Chet Woodruff '25 We are so proud of you, Chet! Soar Eagle 🦅! |
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| Support Chet! Check out Chet's Mobile Detailing and book your next premium auto detailing service - serving Naples and Marco Island!
Follow Chet on Instagram.
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Meet Mr. Kukushkin - Success Coach | Math Lead |
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I was born and raised in Moscow, Russia, where I received my bachelor's degree in applied mathematics from Plekhanov Russian Academy of Economics in 1995. I have been teaching mathematics since 2003. Prior to joining Freedom, I taught all sorts of high school mathematics courses at Collier County Public Schools and private schools in Naples, ranging from Algebra 1 to AP Calculus BC. I have a Master of Arts degree in curriculum and instructions from FGCU (2006) and a Specialist in Education degree in mathematics education from Nova Southeastern University (2008). At Freedom, I teach Algebra 1, Geometry, and Algebra 2 classes. I am also an adjunct professor at Florida Southwestern State College where I teach mathematics courses including intermediate algebra. In my free time I enjoy traveling and going to concerts. I'm happy to be part of the amazing team at Freedom and working with all of our students!
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Our Friendsgiving celebration was a beautiful reminder of what makes our Freedom community so special, and it remains one of our most loved traditions. We’re deeply thankful for our incredible PTO and every parent who contributed food, supplies, and time to make the feast unforgettable. Their generosity - and even the return of a few Freedom alumni - turned the day into something truly meaningful. It was a grateful moment for all of us, and a celebration we won’t soon forget. |
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We have a scheduled some amazing events for our Freedom Eagles and Families for before and after the holiday break. |
❄️ 12.15 - Freedom Winter Celebration 🎤 01.06 - American Dream Conversations at Freedom - Parker Conrad |
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For the first time, The Freedom Institute participated in #GivingTuesday, a global day of generosity celebrated on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. Thank you to all who showed their support by making a gift! Freedom raised close to $6,000 on Giving Tuesday for our students and programs. |
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We are grateful to the DEKKO FOUNDATION for their grant to support our innovative AI Educational Programs. |
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2706 Horseshoe Dr S, Naples, FL 34104, USA |
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