In conversation with our founder - Part Three:

In conversation with our founder, Ken Sazama - Part 3: How the Outdoors Shaped the Way I Think About Learning

My journey to founding the Joy Lab Academy didn't start in a classroom. It started when I was 17 years old, living as a student in Argentina.

I still remember the moment my brain just clicked. I was immersed in the culture, surrounded by the language, and I caught myself thinking — I can't wait to learn more Spanish. I was actually learning, in the deepest sense of the word, because I was living inside the experience. That was a pivotal moment for me, one that I've carried with me ever since.

After finishing high school, I spent a year at a traditional liberal arts college before I found my way into the world of experiential and outdoor education — including my time with the National Outdoor Leadership School. And once again, that same feeling came rushing back. My brain was invigorated. I was studying geology by looking at actual rock formations in southern Utah. I was learning about water conservation in the Rocky Mountains — not from a textbook, but from the land itself. I started as a student, and eventually became an instructor, working at NOLS and other outdoor education centers along the way.

That progression — from curious student to educator — fundamentally shaped how I think about teaching and learning. What I took away from those years is something I believe just as strongly today: students learn more, and enjoy learning more, when their brains are truly engaged. When they're not just absorbing information, but experiencing it. I sometimes use the word triggered — in the best possible sense — to describe what great learning does to the brain. It wakes something up.

That belief doesn't require a mountain range or a desert canyon to put into practice. Even in an urban environment, even inside a classroom, we can design experiences that activate students on a full 360-degree level. At Joy Lab Academy, part of our day is indoors and part is outdoors — intentionally so. Jamaica Plain's extraordinary green space isn't just a nice backdrop; it's part of the curriculum.

My time in Argentina, my years with NOLS and in the broader outdoor education world — these experiences didn't just shape who I am. They are the DNA of the Joy Lab Academy.