Some of our most powerful game changers are the ones that provide opportunities for our least powerful citizens: children. That’s the goal of the Young Philosophers Society, a new Florida nonprofit that provides art, music and educational experiences to children of all abilities and learning styles, as well as their families. “Our desire is to be a center of enrichment opportunities encouraging families to find their talents and discover a love of learning,” says Karen Reid, who founded YPS with her husband, Chris.

Karen, a mental health counselor and behavior analyst, and Chris, a musician and registered behavior technician, cofounded Beyond Expectations, a therapy practice in Fort Walton Beach, Crestview and Pensacola, seven years ago. Karen says they drew on that history when launching YPS:

“Through that experience, as well as the experience of homeschooling our own children, we came to realize that there weren’t many opportunities for a central location of creative learning for our children, and not many opportunities for children with learning differences to participate in the arts in our area. We decided to take our tax return and open the center. We were recently gifted a little free library and will have that up and running as soon as it is built.”

YPS offers regularly scheduled art, music, hands-on science, Spanish and hands-on history education for all children. It also offers a monthly arts-and-music kids’ night out, private music lessons and a homeschool co-op. 

  The Reids currently run YPS classes, but additional classes for all ages, such as pottery, glass art and tae kwon do, are taught by guest artists and instructors. “We encourage people with talents to share to offer classes at our location,” Karen says. ​

Young Philosophers Society is located in downtown Fort Walton Beach at 144 Miracle Strip Pkwy. Contact YPS at 850-496-3767 or [email protected]. Donations of art materials gratefully accepted.