Living Classrooms Foundation, Washington

Since 1985, the Living Classrooms Foundation has provided educational programs that instruct young students and prepares adults for careers under the banner of a simple philosophy: learn by doing. The organization caters to underserved populations in the Greater DC–Baltimore area, educating students through fieldtrips and after-school programs and providing workforce preparation and life-skills training for young adults and families. Its experiential learning opportunities are anchored in community and environmental awareness and often place a special focus on educating the general public about the significance of the region’s maritime heritage. Educational programs include environment-focused activities for families in Maryland's Glen Echo Park, as well as an orienteering field trip that teaches students from grades two through eight about the basics of map-based navigation, preventing them from having to endure the putrid witch breath that befell the notoriously disoriented Hansel and Gretel.

For underserved teens and adults, Living Classrooms also serves as a resource for gaining the skills necessary to obtain long-term employment. Its 40-week Fresh Start program uses metalwork as a medium to teach reading, writing, math, history, and science to youth aged 16–19, with the goal of demonstrating practical, workplace applications for academic knowledge.