When Leni Jacksen and Neal Wrightson peeked over the wall of a church in Van Nuys 25 years ago, they didn't see empty rooms in an old building, they saw an intimate place for children to learn how to learn. They saw a future filled with a love of literature, music literacy, block-building and responsibility for each other. Beginning with 15 children, Leni and Neal taught the classes, administered the paperwork, answered the phones, cleaned the rooms, put band aids on kids, and marketed the school.

After marking a definitive mark on CCS, Leni retired. But she's still very much a prescense in our community -- she comes to every sing and any other major CCS event. She's forever our founder.

Neal Wrightson is still making his mark on CCS. He's the director of the school and has his hand in everything from the classroom to the boardroom. From teaching math to the older children to organizing and leading educators at the North Dakota Study Group, Neal is devoted to progressive education.