Where Different Minds Grow
We cultivate an inclusive community of changemakers through a fusion of regenerative agriculture, authentic entrepreneurship, creative expression, and adaptive AI technology. Our mission is to honor neurodiversity as human diversity, building lifelong pathways to confidence, independence, and community.
Creative Arts
Visual arts, digital media, and portfolio development for all creative minds.
Our Program Pillars
Regenerative Agriculture
Urban farming and sustainable practices rooted in the legacy of Growing Power.
Authentic Entrepreneurship
Students run a real farm stand while learning financial literacy and business skills.
Adaptive AI Technology
Personalized AI learning coaches designed to support neurodivergent learners.
Our Programs
Two immersive pathways designed to nurture neurodivergent and neurotypical youth in Oak Creek.
Break School Core Program
Our flagship program runs from September through May. Designed for ages 14-21, it offers students the opportunity to engage in hands-on urban agriculture, authentic entrepreneurship, creative arts, and adaptive AI technology.
Camp BreakGround
A 10-week summer camp for ages 10-18, runs from June through August. Our pipeline program provides a foundational experience in regenerative farming and entrepreneurship before transitioning into the Core Program.
Our Leadership Team
We are a collaborative team dedicated to fostering inclusive excellence and empowering neurodivergent youth through regenerative agriculture and technology.
Dr. Sylvia Wilson
Founder & Executive Director
Dr. Sylvia Wilson is a neurodiversity-affirming educator, program developer, and community builder with deep roots in Greater Milwaukee youth development. As Program Director at Teens Grow Greens, she built the organization's youth apprenticeship program from the ground up, work that earned her a 2021 African American Environmental Pioneer Award, co-sponsored by the Sierra Club. She is also CEO of MKEGRIND, a Milwaukee consulting firm that partnered with Kinship Community Food Center to design its Healing Workforce Program. Break School's deepest inspiration, though, is personal: for three years she has watched her neurodivergent sons grow in confidence and skill on Farmer Will Allen's farm, and she founded Break School so more young people can have that same experience.
Will Allen
Senior Agricultural Advisor
The son of a sharecropper and a former professional basketball player, Will Allen returned to farming in 1993 and became one of the world's most recognized leaders in urban agriculture and food policy. He is a MacArthur Foundation "Genius Grant" Fellow (2008), was named one of TIME's 100 Most Influential People (2010), and received the James Beard Award (2011). He joined First Lady Michelle Obama in launching 'Let's Move!' and served on the USDA National Organic Standards Board's hydroponic/aquaponic task force. The founder of Growing Power and now Will's Roadside Farms & Markets in Oak Creek, he shares his regenerative growing methods and his farm with Break School students.
Thomas Wilson
Co-Founder & Board Treasurer
Thomas Wilson is co-founder of MKEGRIND, a Milwaukee enterprise that began by giving teens mentoring, business skills, and barista training, and later helped design Kinship Community Food Center's Healing Workforce Program. His recent work focuses on developing adaptive AI solutions to food access, including the Smart Pantry initiative, which provides autonomous access to nutrient-rich food in communities lacking access. He brings experience in futuristic insights, innovative ideation, and design. As the father of neurodivergent sons who have spent three years working on Farmer Will Allen's farm, Thomas knows firsthand what the right environment can unlock, and he helps make sure Break School's technology stays practical, human-centered, and rooted in community need.
© 2026 Break School, Inc. All rights reserved.
Break School Inc.
Break School is building a connected learning ecosystem across Oak Creek—bringing together regenerative agriculture, inclusive education, outdoor experiences, creative expression, and youth entrepreneurship.
sylvia@breakschool.org
1(414) 380-1300
Oak Creek, WI 53154