The difference in Jackson after he started at MMS was pretty incredible. We went from having a kid who didn't want to go to school in the mornings to one who came home excited to tell us what he'd learned or what he was working on. And if you know Jackson, you know that once he gets interested in something, you're going to hear ALL about it!

What I've loved most is that MMS never tried to fit Jackson into a certain mold. They recognized who he was, encouraged his creativity, and gave him the freedom to explore things that interested him. Watching him become more confident and independent over the years has been pretty amazing.

And the trips! I can't say enough about those experiences. It seemed like every time he came home from one, he'd grown up just a little more. Of course, he also came home with a suitcase full of laundry, but that's another story.

One of my favorite memories was when he came home from visiting the Green Bank Telescope. He talked about it for days. I'm pretty sure we only understood about half of what he was telling us, but seeing how excited he was made it worth listening to every word. Those are the kinds of experiences I don't think you can replicate in a traditional classroom.

MMS is special to me, because you get to be yourself here. Nobody tries to make you into someone you’re not. The teachers actually get to know you and what you're interested in, and they let you go deeper into the stuff you care about.

The best part has definitely been the trips. One of my favorites was going to the Green Bank Telescope. It’s the largest fully steerable radio telescope in the world, and it’s right here in West Virginia. We got to see space through radio waves. Another favorite was the first time I hiked up Spruce Knob, the highest point in West Virginia.

Like most parents, we just want Jackson to grow up happy, confident, and comfortable being himself. We want him to be kind, think for himself, and not be afraid to try something new or take on a challenge.

I think MMS has done a wonderful job helping him develop those qualities. He's learned how to work independently, how to collaborate with other people, and that it's okay to approach things a little differently. More than anything, he's learned to trust himself and his abilities.

Now that he's getting ready to head off to high school, I can really see how much he's grown over these last six years. I feel like MMS has given him a great foundation for whatever comes next.

Do I think he's ready for high school? Absolutely. Are we ready for him to go to high school? That's a completely different question!

First of all, 50 years is an incredible accomplishment, and I think Charleston is lucky to have a school like MMS.

If I could wish anything for the next 50 years, it would be that MMS continues doing what made us fall in love with it in the first place: Let kids be curious. Let them get their hands dirty, ask questions, go on adventures, make mistakes, and figure things out along the way.

I hope more families get to experience what we have over the last six years. MMS has been such a big part of Jackson's childhood, and it's hard to imagine what those years would have looked like without it.