White Pine Wilderness Academy

About this program

White Pine Wilderness Academy is a nature connection and survival skills school founded in 2014 as a 501c3 non-profit organization in Indianapolis, Indiana. Located on the island of Rocky Ripple between the Wapahani (White) River and the canal, the school's classroom is the Eastern Deciduous Woodlands and surrounding riparian habitat. The academy's mission is to address nature deficit disorder through reconnection to place, community, ancestry, traditional cultures, and skills. What makes White Pine unique is its integration of multiple ancestral lineages, including the Shikari tradition from northern India (passed directly to founder Matt Shull from his grandfather), the 8 Shields Nature Connection model developed by Jon Young, Coyote Mentoring philosophy from Tom Brown Jr., and primitive skills archaeology. The school is secular and welcomes students from all backgrounds, unified by five core agreements: Respect Life, Respect Each Other, Respect Ourselves, Respect The Circle, and Be a Caretaker. Classes take place outdoors in all weather conditions year-round, teaching students that "there's no such thing as bad weather, only bad gear."