STEAMHOUSE COMPLETE SYSTEM OVERVIEW
The Definitive Reference for What steamHouse Is and Does Version 3.0 | January 19, 2026
TABLE OF CONTENTS
WHAT WE ARE
The Core Identity
steamHouse is a culture-transmission system designed to develop humans who can think consciously, act purposefully, and live connectedly—in a world that makes this increasingly difficult and increasingly necessary.
We teach young people to move from autopilot to authorship—from reacting unconsciously to consciously choosing who they become.
The Central Metaphor
You are either the author of your story or a character in someone else's. The "wielder" is the conscious self who directs tools rather than being enlisted by them. Skills without consciousness are available for whoever wants to use them—including forces that don't have your interests at heart.
The Founder's Role
The founder's contribution is design and persuasion, not operations and management.
This is deliberate, not a gap:
22 years of classroom experience inform the design
The comprehensive architecture exists because someone thought it through completely
The theory of change is: make the argument so compelling that resources flow toward it
We are not pretending to be a scaled organization. We are an architect with blueprints, seeking builders.
The Theory of Change
The argument is strong enough to attract aligned people
Those people bring resources, connections, and capacity
The ecosystem design demonstrates serious thinking—not a hobby project
The right person seeing the whole picture becomes a force multiplier
The bet: Sometimes it only takes the right one other person.
THE CRISIS WE ADDRESS
This generation faces unprecedented challenges to their agency and wellbeing:
The Information Crisis
Algorithmic manipulation designed to bypass conscious choice
More information produced daily than existed before 1900
Misinformation spreads faster than correction
Attention monetized and extracted at industrial scale
The Institutional Crisis
Trust in traditional institutions at historic lows
Echo chambers limiting exposure to diverse perspectives
Polarization making democratic governance increasingly difficult
Expertise simultaneously more necessary and less trusted
The Mental Health Crisis
Anxiety, depression, and suicide at historic highs among youth
Loneliness epidemic despite unprecedented connectivity
Nihilism, anxiety, and despair as default psychological states
Consumerism offered as substitute for meaning, producing alienation
The Meaning Crisis
Traditional purpose-providing structures eroding
Young people skilled but directionless
Capable but lost
Information-rich but wisdom-poor
The Root Cause: Backwards pedagogical architecture. Traditional education teaches skills and hopes character emerges, but you cannot develop authentic identity by teaching content first and values never. Schools teach content well but fall short in helping young people discover what matters and develop conscious agency.
The AI Dimension
Just as conscious thinking becomes most essential, the modern environment makes it harder to develop. Here's the paradox:
Automatic thinking is being automated. AI does pattern matching. AI does information retrieval. AI does calculation and prediction. What AI cannot do—what requires humans—is the capacity to:
Care genuinely about outcomes
Make meaning from experience
Clarify values that guide choice
Relate authentically to others
Choose purposefully what to pursue
These capacities require consciousness. They cannot be outsourced. In a world of artificial intelligence, conscious humans are essential.
THE STEAMHOUSE SOLUTION
steamHouse is an integrated system for developing conscious, purposeful humans through books, programs, games, and story. All components address one challenge: humans have Stone Age brains in a modern world designed to exploit them—and unprecedented tools to create lives of purpose and meaning.
Purpose-First Development
Purpose is not "nice to have" alongside skills—Purpose is what integrates all development. Students discover what matters to them (Purpose), develop thinking tools to understand it (Paradigm), and train actions and attitudes to embody it (Practice).
The Four Foundational Principles
Not separate virtues but aspects of one integrated way of being:
Principle Meaning Why It Matters
Reflective Thinking Examining our own thinking improves it; consciousness can be developed Without reflection, we repeat mistakes; with it, we continue growing
Personal Agency You are the author of your life; you have the capacity to choose Without agency, development is passive; with it, everything else becomes possible
Mutual Respect Other people are real, with their own agency, deserving of dignity Without respect, relationships are exploitative; with it, connection becomes generative
Objective Reason Reality exists independent of our wishes; truth can be approached through honest inquiry Without reason, we're trapped in delusion; with it, we can navigate complexity
Three-Level Consciousness Model
Level Mode Description Basement Automatic Fast, instinctive, reactive; most of daily life Main Floor Conscious Aware, deliberate, choosing; the space of learning Tower Purposeful Aligned with values, contributing to meaning; the goal
Conscious thinking operates in two modes:
Be Real: Immediate context, constraints, essentials, caution
Think Big: Larger context, possibilities, ideals, optimism
The goal isn't always being conscious—that's exhausting and impossible. Wisdom is knowing which mode serves which moment, and being able to shift when needed. Most people have never been taught they have modes.
The Five Practices of Authorship
What authorship looks like in action:
Practice Description
Recognition Knowing when you're on automatic
Interruption Creating a gap between stimulus and response
Reflection Checking against articulated purposes
Direction Choosing responses that serve your purposes
Training Building chosen automaticity
The Gold Star Kit
Developmental tools participants build throughout their journey:
⭐ Gold Star Ideals (Purpose/Heart)
What you care about and why
Your core values made explicit
The driver of all development
🔴 Red Toolbox (Paradigm/Head)
Mental models and frameworks
How you think and understand
Lenses that serve what matters
🟢 Green Gear (Practice/Body)
Habits, skills, and capabilities
What you actually do every day
Actions that embody what matters
The name teaches the hierarchy: "Gold Star" = Purpose drives everything. "Kit" = The tools you need (Lenses and Keys serve Stars).
THE COMPLETE ARCHITECTURE
steamHouse at full implementation includes ten interconnected elements. Each can function independently, but together they create something greater than the sum:
Component Function Target Status Core Curriculum Foundational concepts Universal 🟢 Complete Universal Team Framework Team dynamics + activity integration Any team/project-based activity 🟢 Complete Six Books Conceptual frameworks Individual understanding 🟡 In Development Credentialing System Making development visible Ages 8-24+ (portable credentials) 🟢 Framework / 🔴 Platform Home Team Daily practice ground Families with children 0-24+ 🟢 Framework Globe Team Planetary-scale engagement Ages 16+, world-focused purpose 🟢 Framework Trek-Quest Camp Intensive immersion Ages 12-15 (6-week summer) 🟢 Design Complete ORLO Game Experiential learning Ages 10-20 (truth-seeking practice) 🟢 Design Complete Chronicles Story Narrative modeling Universal (engagement vehicle) 🟡 In Development Lifelong Learning Track Adult development Ages 20+ 🟡 In Development
Status Legend: 🟢 Complete/Ready | 🟡 In Development | 🔴 Future/Aspirational
The Integration: Core Curriculum provides foundations → Universal Team Framework develops group capacity → Books provide frameworks → Credentialing makes growth visible → Home/Globe Team provide context-specific practice → Camp provides intensive immersion → Game provides experiential learning → Story provides motivation → Lifelong Learning extends to adults.
CORE CURRICULUM
The foundational concepts that unify all steamHouse components.
Key Concepts
Concept Description Unit of Decision The Care→Think→Act sequence underlying every choice Three Mindsets Automatic/Conscious/Purposeful (and knowing when each serves) Be Real / Think Big Two modes of conscious thinking: immediate vs. expansive Four Principles RT→PA→MR→OR as integrated way of being Gold Star Kit Purpose (Stars) → Paradigm (Lenses) → Practice (Keys) Five Practices Recognition, Interruption, Reflection, Direction, Training Ever-Present Capacities Heart, Head, Body—the raw faculties you always have Story Authorship You write your story or become a character in someone else's
Key Slogans
"From autopilot to authorship"
"Not what to think, but how to think"
"Stone Age brains in a smartphone world"
"Purpose over programming"
"The project is the playground. Who you become is the point."
THE UNIVERSAL TEAM FRAMEWORK
Components: 12 Core Lessons + Activity Bootstrap Guides
Target: Any team/project-based activity (robotics, theater, sports, service, creative projects)
Status: 🟢 Complete curriculum with integration templates
The Core Insight
Most team problems aren't about bad people. They're about implicit systems.
When purpose isn't articulated, people pursue different goals. When norms aren't explicit, people operate on conflicting assumptions. When feedback isn't structured, problems fester. When conflict is avoided, bad ideas survive and resentment builds. When contribution isn't visible, accountability fails. When endings aren't marked, learning evaporates.
The solution: Build better systems—explicit agreements, shared language, structured practices, and intentional rituals that make good team behavior the default.
The 12 Lessons (Four Phases)
Phase A: FORMATION (Before Work Begins)
Lesson Topic Core Question 1 Why Do They Play? What are we REALLY here for? 2 Choosing Our Name How do we decide together? 3 How We Agree to Be Together What do we expect from each other? 4 The Story We Tell Ourselves What am I assuming about others?
Phase B: PLANNING (Preparing to Work)
Lesson Topic Core Question 5 When Dreams Meet Gravity How do we adapt without losing ourselves? 6 One Marshmallow or Two? What do we want MORE?
Phase C: WORK (During the Project)
Lesson Topic Core Question 7 The Gift No One Wants to Give How do we help each other improve? 8 What Now? How do we learn from what just happened? 9 I Don't Know Why is asking for help so hard? 10 Who Does What? How do we distribute work fairly? 11 Fighting About Ideas How do we disagree without damaging relationships?
Phase D: COMPLETION (Ending Well)
Lesson Topic Core Question 12 How We End How do we end in a way that honors what we did?
Activity Bootstrap Guides
The Time Economy Principle: Total additional time per season = 2-3 hours. Developmental value = transforms activity from "thing we did" to "experience we learned from."
Complete Bootstrap Guides exist for:
FIRST LEGO League (FLL Challenge)
Theater Production
Soccer Team
4-H Club
The Universal Pattern (Any Activity):
Phase Activity Focus steamHouse Element Time Formation Season start Purpose + Norms 30-45 min Building Weekly sessions 3-min debrief (AAR) 3 min/session Crisis After setbacks "What Now?" framework 10-15 min Competition Performance Pre-mortem/mini-AAR 10 min Completion Season end Closure ritual 30-40 min
THE SIX-BOOK SERIES
Overview: Four Phases, Six Books (~436,000 words)
The Narrative Arc
The suite tells one continuous story across five narrative books (Framework Guide is reference, not narrative):
Book Opening Era Core Question Word Count TRICKED 540M years ago (Cambrian) What did you inherit? ~55K WIRED 1920s → now Who's exploiting that inheritance? ~50K STONE AGE MINDS 10K years ago → now Why is this a crisis NOW? ~48K YOU ARE THE AUTHOR 70K years ago → now How do you take authorship? ~55K TOGETHER 200K years → now Where do you practice? ~48K FRAMEWORK GUIDE — Everything, comprehensively ~180K
The Reader Journey
PHASE 1: AWAKENING (TRICKED, WIRED) → "I'm being manipulated. The system exploits me."
PHASE 2: UNDERSTANDING (Stone Age Minds) → "This is why. This is urgent."
PHASE 3: RESPONDING (You Are the Author, TOGETHER) → "Here's what I can do—for myself and together."
PHASE 4: MASTERING (Framework Guide) → "Here's how it all fits—the complete architecture."
Book Summaries
TRICKED — How Your Brain Gets Played
Voice: Playful, curious ("Look at this!")
Format: 70-100 demonstrations revealing biases through direct experience
Key Insight: You don't learn about biases—you experience being tricked by them
WIRED — How Technology Rewires You
Voice: Clear-eyed, urgent ("Here's what they're doing")
Framework: What is it? + How does it work? + What does it want from you?
Key Insight: Platforms layer multiple exploitation methods simultaneously
STONE AGE MINDS — In a Modern Emergency
Voice: Urgent, diagnostic ("Here's why it matters")
Argument: Stone Age brains + Medieval institutions + Godlike technology = Unstable
Key Insight: Adolescents are most vulnerable; democracy requires skills we're not teaching
YOU ARE THE AUTHOR — Practical Manual for Conscious Living
Voice: Warm, empowering ("Here's what to do")
Structure: Purpose (Gold Star) → Paradigm (Red Toolbox) → Practice (Green Gear)
Focus: Individual development (self-directed)
TOGETHER — The Practice of Conscious Community
Voice: Translating, professional ("Here's what you need")
Structure: Why Groups Fail → Building Teams → Building Communities → Movements
Key Insight: Teams are functional unit of achievement; communities are functional unit of belonging
FRAMEWORK GUIDE — The Complete System
Voice: Comprehensive, authoritative ("Here's everything")
Structure: 31 chapters across six domains
Not for reading cover-to-cover; consult as needed for depth
THE CREDENTIALING SYSTEM
The steamHouse Credentialing System = Development Markers (what participants earn) + Online Credentialing Platform (where markers become visible)
The Problem: Youth Invisibility
Young people do meaningful work—lead teams, complete projects, develop skills, navigate challenges—but none of it accumulates into anything portable or verifiable. They arrive at adulthood invisible, with genuine capabilities undocumented.
Current reality: Privileged kids leverage family connections—reputation established through back channels. Kids without connections remain invisible despite equal capability.
The transformation: From invisible to credentialed, from self-reported to verified, from isolated experiences to coherent developmental story.
Development Markers: 58 Observable Competencies
Type Toolbox Domain Count What They Measure Stars Gold (Heart) Character 15 Who you ARE Lenses Red (Head) Thinking 24 How you UNDERSTAND Keys Green (Body) Skills 19 What you can DO TOTAL — — 58 —
Examples:
Stars (Character): Growth Mindset, Emotion Regulation, Purpose Clarity, Ubuntu Orientation
Lenses (Thinking): Scout Mindset, Pre-Mortem, Deliberate Practice, Systems Thinking
Keys (Doing): Active Listening, Public Speaking, Project Planning, Conflict Navigation
Two Independent Dimensions
Dimension 1: Progression Levels (Where are you in developing this?)
Level Description Basic Can explain it; beginning to apply Applying Uses with conscious effort in favorable conditions Integrating Automatic application; works even under pressure Teaching Can develop this capacity in others
Dimension 2: Verification Tiers (How well-substantiated is your claim?)
Tier Method Confidence Documented Self-reported with evidence Low Attested Mentor/adult verification Medium Verified Trained assessor confirmation High Demonstrated Direct observation in challenge Highest
Key Insight: These dimensions are orthogonal. You can be Integrating/Documented (high skill, low verification) or Basic/Verified (early stage, but confirmed by trained observer).
The Online Credentialing Platform (Vision)
A portfolio and credentialing system designed specifically for ages 13-24, with safety, verification, and user control as foundational principles.
What It Is:
Portfolio vault where young people document development over time
Visibility system where users control who sees what (Private → Invitation → Public)
Connection pathway where opportunities find qualified youth through mediated introductions
What It's NOT:
Not social media (no feeds, followers, likes, algorithmic engagement)
Not self-reported resumes (verification tiers mean credentials carry weight)
Not surveillance (youth own data, control visibility, can delete anytime)
Status: Framework complete (🟢); Platform implementation future (🔴 2027+)
HOME TEAM
The Vision: Family life as intentional practice ground for conscious, purposeful living.
Core Frameworks
Family Purpose: Explicit answer to "What is our family for?" Family Norms: Named agreements (time, communication, responsibility, development) Venn Model: Green/Blue/Gray/Red zones (negotiable vs. non-negotiable) Collect Before Direct: Attachment-activation protocol (Neufeld) Hard Thing Rule: Family-wide commitment to deliberate practice (Duckworth)
Core Practices
Daily: Dinner table conversations, bedtime rituals, morning routines
Weekly: Family meetings, shared projects, tech-free time
Monthly: Family adventure, learning together, service activity
Annual: Purpose conversation, developmental review, major experience
Development by Age
Stage Ages Focus Foundation 0-4 Attachment, routines, presence Capability 4-8 Skill building, contribution, chores Identity 8-12 Values, full participation in decisions Autonomy 12-16 Maintaining connection through resistance Launch 16-20 Adult-level participation, independence preparation Adult Connection 20+ Fellow adult relationship, transformed rituals
GLOBE TEAM
The Vision: Connecting conscious individuals to global challenges through sustainable local action.
The Supertribe Imperative
Comfort Tribe: Few people, many shared values (easy, limited scale) Supertribe: Many people, few shared values (hard, only way large cooperation happens)
The HOT HEADLINE: "There are a very few ideas we all might reasonably share. Let's promote them."
Purpose at Planetary Scale
The Three-Way Intersection: What you care about (Heart) × What you can affect (Body) × What needs doing (Head)
Think Global, Act Local — Operationalized:
Every global challenge has local manifestations
"Glonacal" perspective (Global + National + Local simultaneously)
Long time horizons (decades, not days)
Domains of Contribution
Climate/Environment
Democracy/Civic Health
Global Development
Public Health
Technology Governance
Sustaining Engagement
Antidotes to Burnout:
Bounded scope (can't fix everything)
Community (shared effort sustains)
Long view (appropriate timescales)
Joy and rest (celebration and recovery)
Small wins (notice progress)
TREK-QUEST CAMP
The Vision: Young people who can both understand reality AND shape it responsibly.
Terminology Note: This program was formerly called "Camp Chronicles" in some documents. "Trek-Quest Camp" is the current standard name. "Chronicles" refers exclusively to the steamHouse story world.
Structure: Three Phases
TREK (Weeks 1-2) — Wilderness immersion, "Be Real"
Survival skills (shelter, fire, water, navigation)
Brain science (dual-process thinking, stress, decision-making)
Relationship skills (bids/responses, conflict, repair)
Team dynamics (psychological safety, Ubuntu, grit)
HOME GAP (Weeks 3-4) — Integration at home
Interview family member → Notice decision → Find artifact → Media log
Apply Trek learning in family context
Gather material for Quest creation
QUEST (Weeks 5-6) — Studio/maker space, "Think Big"
Production skills (camera, sound, editing)
Story craft (objective vs. compelling)
Critical literacy (persuasion, illusion, argumentation)
Create personal artifact integrating all learning
Two-Year Progression
Year Trek Phase Quest Phase Year 1 Signal Trek Artifact Quest Year 2 Assembly Trek Mission Quest
Output: Each participant creates documentary, personal story film, or science communication piece
Status: 🟢 Design complete, ready for pilot
THE ORLO GAME
Format: Cooperative tabletop card game (30-45 min, 2-12 players, ages 10-20) Status: 🟢 Design complete (5,300+ lines), prototype testing ready
The Core Experience
Players start in echo chambers (only seeing their faction's information) → discover incomplete view → build signals to unlock other perspectives → verify at central vault → race against Fabricator (time pressure) → assemble complete truth.
Four Factions, Four Lenses
Faction Lens What They See Optimizer (Blue) Technical/Quantitative Data, measurements, efficiency Connector (Orange) Emotional/Relational Human impact, relationships Guardian (Green) Historical/Cautionary Patterns, precedents, warnings Visionary (Purple) Future/Innovative Possibilities, implications
Connection to steamHouse Principles
Personal Agency: YOU choose whether to explore, verify, share
Mutual Respect: Other factions hold information you need
Objective Reason: Verification tests claims against external reality
Reflective Thinking: Debrief questions prompt metacognition
Scale Vision
Tabletop game proves concepts → Digital version reaches millions → Game mechanics ARE the curriculum
CHRONICLES STORY WORLD
Format: Fictional narrative featuring parallel Earth timelines and the TeraTerraTribe Function: Narrative modeling of conscious community and healthy "supertribe" dynamics
What Chronicles Does That Books Cannot
Books Chronicles Explain healthy community Model it in story Diagnose toxic tribalism Show the alternative Describe belonging Let readers experience it Argue for unity across difference Embody it through characters
The Story World
Setting: Parallel Earth timelines where three natural enemy species discovered cooperation
The Species:
Hominids (humans)
Land octopuses
Dragons
The Discovery: They could cooperate around sparse shared principles despite being natural enemies
TeraTerraTribe: The civilization that emerged—supertribe united by few principles, not similarity
Key Characters
Mitch Bradford (Protagonist): Journalist navigating identity and purpose. Arc: Skeptic to curious.
Clem Beluga (Wisdom Figure): Mentor close enough to automatic thinking to remember the struggle.
Queen Zubby Buzzy (Master Navigator): Consciousness wisdom keeper. "Curiosity is the foundation of consciousness, and consciousness is the foundation of civilization."
Two Factions (Both Conscious, Different Emphases)
TeraTerraTribe Children's Party Constraint-focused ("Given facts, what's possible?") Possibility-focused ("Given aspirations, what could work?") Evidence-based, systematic, realistic Relationship-centered, warm, optimistic "Here's the evidence. Think clearly." "Feel the connection. We're family."
The Tension: Both right in different ways; healthy friction generates progress
LIFELONG LEARNING TRACK
The Vision: Development doesn't stop at 22; adults need the framework too.
Components
Parent Development: Parents engaging with their children's development grow alongside them
Mentor Training: Structured certification for those supporting others' development
Professional Application: Applying steamHouse frameworks in workplace contexts
Alumni Continuation: Those who came through the system continuing their own growth
Adams State University Partnership
Teacher training course development (launching 2027)
Professional development credit pathway
Mentor certification track
Status: 🟡 Framework in development, Adams State partnership active
THE INTEGRATION: HOW IT ALL FITS
Multiple Entry Points
Entry Point Journey Book Readers TRICKED → Stone Age Minds → YATA → TOGETHER → Framework Guide Camp Participants Trek-Quest Camp → Manual → Year 2 → Globe Team → Credentialing Family Practitioners Home Team → Manual (family version) → Marker tracking → Possible Club Team Leaders/Coaches Universal Team Framework → Bootstrap Guides → Activity implementation Young Adults YATA/TOGETHER → Globe Team → Professional application Educators/Mentors Framework Guide → Manual → Mentor's Guide → Certification Game Players ORLO → Curriculum exploration → Program participation Story Fans Chronicles → Concepts → Curriculum → Practice
The Ecosystem Effect
A young person might: discover ORLO → join a Spoke Club → attend summer Trek-Quest → deepen at a Hub Club → accumulate verified markers → access opportunities through credentialing → eventually mentor others.
Each component serves a different function in a coherent developmental journey.
DEVELOPMENTAL PROGRESSION
Four Stages of Human Flourishing
Stage Ages Name Focus I 8-12 Agent-Habits Discovery through doing II 12-16 Artist-Tools Exploration and testing III 16-20 Hero-Ideals Integration and commitment IV 20-24+ Whole-Real Human Teaching and contributing
The Manual Structure
Volume Ages Title Focus I 8-12 Your Emerging Self Discovery through practice; competence building II 12-16 Your Conscious Self Naming your kit; values exploration III 16-20 Your Purposeful Self Purpose driving development; integration IV 20-24+ Your Contributing Self Teaching others; community building
THE THREE-TIER MODEL
The components organize into the original three-tier conceptual model:
steamHouse Club (Body / Be Real / Immediate Context)
What It Is: Local, embodied community implementation with real families and hands-on activities.
Where It Operates: Real places with real families—currently Golden, Colorado as the laboratory where concepts are tested with actual kids.
Key Activities:
Beehive installations (spring)
Snakes and Toad Beasts Day (summer)
SuperHarvest missions (fall)
Gourd Gala celebrations (late fall)
Robotics teams (FIRST LEGO League)
Summer camps (Story Camp, Robotics Camp)
Current Status: 8+ years of operation, 100+ families engaged, annual rhythms established.
steamHouse Commons (Head / Integration / Universal Framework)
What It Is: The curriculum layer—systematic knowledge, frameworks, and mentor training that can be used anywhere.
What It Contains:
Complete Manual (four volumes, ~680 pages)
Framework Guide (31 chapters, ~400 pages)
Companion Journal System (four volumes, ~605 pages design)
Mentor's Guides (four volumes, ~200 pages)
Universal Team Framework (12 lessons + Bootstrap Guides)
Assessment frameworks (58 Development Markers)
Total: ~2,000+ pages of curriculum documentation
steamHouse Chronicles (Heart / Think Big / Larger Context)
What It Is: The story world—fictional narrative featuring parallel Earth timelines and the TeraTerraTribe, plus the ORLO game.
Why It Matters:
Stories are how humans transmit values across generations
Characters embody principles in ways that resonate emotionally
Narrative provides motivation and cultural models
Games create experiential learning
Why All Three Are Essential
Club alone can't scale (the "charisma trap"—programs collapse when the exceptional founder leaves).
Commons alone sits unused (the "curriculum coffin"—well-designed materials lack implementation support).
Chronicles alone entertains but doesn't transform (the "entertainment void"—engaging stories captivate but don't develop capability).
Together: Body grounds it, Head systematizes it, Heart gives it staying power.
WHAT MAKES STEAMHOUSE DIFFERENT
Philosophical Distinctives
1. Purpose-first sequencing: We start with what matters (purpose/heart), then build the thinking tools (paradigm/head), then train the actions (practice/body). Most programs start with skills or content. We start with why.
2. Three levels of consciousness: Automatic/Conscious/Purposeful. Not "always be conscious"—that's exhausting and impossible. Wisdom is knowing which mode serves which moment.
3. Four Foundational Principles as integrated whole: Not separate virtues to master sequentially, but four aspects of one way of being.
4. The mismatch framing: Stone Age brains in a smartphone world. This isn't moral failure; it's evolutionary biology meeting unprecedented manipulation. The framing is compassionate, not judgmental—and universal.
5. Story Authorship: You're either the author of your story or a character in someone else's. The "wielder" framing.
6. Non-partisan in a polarized moment: "Stone Age brains" isn't left or right. Parents across the political spectrum worry about the same things.
7. The founder walked away: Not a theorist with an idea—a 22-year classroom veteran who concluded the institution can't do what's needed and built an alternative.
Structural Distinctives
8. Augmentation, not competition: We don't compete with FIRST, DI, Scouts, 4-H, theater, or sports. We make them better at what they already want to do. The Bootstrap Guides overlay existing activities—adding developmental depth without replacing anything.
BBBS proves mentoring works. steamHouse shows what to do with that relationship. The research validates that caring adult relationships change lives. We add the curriculum.
9. Credentialing that adds value to partners: Their participants get recognized for growth that currently goes undocumented. We're not extracting value; we're adding it.
10. Narrative world attached: Most educational frameworks don't come with fiction. Story creates desire to learn; curriculum provides tools; embodied practice builds capacity.
11. Not "a program"—it's infrastructure: We're not trying to get kids into our program; we're trying to make all programs more developmental.
12. Open-source mentality: The curriculum is designed for sharing, not hoarding.
ON FAITH, BELIEF, AND RELIGION
The Position
steamHouse is neither religious nor anti-religious. We are epistemically serious about questions that matter most.
We help young people develop HOW to think about meaning, purpose, and worldview—not WHAT to conclude. Our organizational commitment extends to our Four Principles and stops there. We do not take positions on metaphysical questions where thoughtful people legitimately disagree.
The Four Principles as Common Ground
Tradition How It Affirms the Principles Christianity Image of God (agency), love of neighbor (respect), truth (reason), self-examination (reflection) Judaism Free will, human dignity, Talmudic reasoning, cheshbon hanefesh Islam Khalifah, equality before God, 'ilm as duty, muhasaba Buddhism Right intention, compassion, investigation, mindfulness Secular Humanism Autonomy, human rights, scientific method, critical thinking
This isn't syncretism (claiming all traditions are the same). It's recognizing that the procedural level where steamHouse operates is compatible with diverse comprehensive worldviews.
The Practical Result
steamHouse works with families across the religious spectrum:
Devoutly religious families appreciate that we take meaning seriously without hostility to faith
Secular families appreciate that we're rigorous without being preachy
"Spiritual but not religious" families feel their approach is taken seriously
Families from non-Western traditions feel genuinely included
ON POLITICS AND CITIZENSHIP
The Position
steamHouse teaches civic engagement skills without advocating for specific parties, policies, or candidates.
We believe: Active citizenship is better than passive disengagement. Democracy requires specific skills that can be taught. People can work together across political differences on shared challenges.
We don't believe: That any particular party has a monopoly on truth. That political neutrality means avoiding civic topics entirely. That young people should be told what political positions to hold.
What We Teach
Democratic reasoning: How to evaluate arguments, weigh evidence, consider trade-offs
Civic participation skills: How to engage effectively in democratic processes
Perspective-taking: How to understand views you disagree with
Supertribe capacity: How to cooperate across profound difference
What We Don't Do
Advocate for specific parties or candidates
Tell students what political positions to hold
Avoid civic topics out of fear of controversy
Pretend that all positions are equally supported by evidence
The same epistemological rigor we apply to factual questions applies to political questions—with appropriate humility about the genuine complexity of policy trade-offs.
EVIDENCE BASE
Research Foundation
steamHouse draws from 1,100+ sources across more than fifteen research domains:
Domain Key Sources Cognitive Science Kahneman, Stanovich, Evans (dual-process theory) Developmental Psychology Erikson, Marcia, Polman (identity development) Adolescent Brain Steinberg, Siegel, Jensen Mentoring Research Jean Rhodes, MENTOR National Youth Mental Health Haidt, Twenge, Rausch Evolutionary Mismatch Van Vugt, Wright, Buss Systems Thinking Meadows, Senge Character Development Narvaez, Berkowitz Civic Education Allen, Kahne, Hess, Levinson
Colorado Research Partners (Identified)
Four researchers with exceptional alignment to steamHouse frameworks:
Researcher Institution Focus Joe Polman CU Boulder Identity development, ZPID framework William Penuel CU Boulder Design-based implementation research Matthew Rhodes CSU Metacognition, science of learning David Hildebrand CU Denver Dewey, pragmatist philosophy
Integration frameworks complete showing how steamHouse operationalizes their research. Ready for outreach.
The Honest Assessment
We have:
A comprehensive synthesis of the best available thinking
8+ years of community implementation
Returning families and anecdotal evidence of transformation
A framework designed for rigorous evaluation
We do not yet have:
Randomized controlled trials
Longitudinal outcome data
Large-scale validation studies
The position: The synthesis has value independent of whether any particular implementation succeeds. The map is worth making even before the territory is fully explored. But we do need data—and we're seeking research partnerships to generate it.
See "In Defense of Synthesis" for our response to critics who demand implementation evidence before the synthesis is evaluated on its merits as synthesis.
WHY THINK SO BIG?
A small-scale mentoring club in Colorado imagining global infrastructure, millions of game players, and field-changing credentialing systems? Why not just stay local and do good work?
Four reasons:
1. The core message demands it.
Conscious thinking—thinking that considers more context than we would by default—is the central steamHouse principle. We'd be hypocrites to think small about our own work. If the message is "expand your context, see the larger picture, think beyond the immediate," then we have to apply that to ourselves.
2. The capacities we're developing are foundational.
steamHouse develops capacities of caring, thinking, and doing—the primary tools that enable everything else. These engage skills and knowledge fundamentally more important than most topics emphasized in traditional educational programs. Math matters. Reading matters. But the ability to think clearly, relate well, and act effectively underlies success in every domain.
3. The times call for something new and different.
The information environment is unprecedented. The manipulation systems are unprecedented. The speed of change is unprecedented. The challenges facing young people—and the adults they'll become—require capacities that traditional education wasn't designed to develop. Someone needs to build what's needed.
4. If not us, who?
The synthesis steamHouse represents—drawing from cognitive science, developmental psychology, philosophy, systems thinking, and practical wisdom traditions—doesn't exist elsewhere in integrated form. Others are doing pieces. No one is doing this. If we believe it matters, we have an obligation to think about how it could spread.
Thinking big isn't grandiosity. It's taking our own principles seriously.
CURRENT STATUS
What's Complete (🟢)
Category Documentation Status Commons Curriculum ~2,000+ pages total First draft complete Framework Guide 31 chapters + 5 appendices First draft complete Manual 4 volumes, 26 chapters First draft complete Mentor's Guides 4 volumes Complete Universal Team Framework 12 lessons + 4 Bootstrap Guides Ready for distribution Development Markers 58 markers defined Framework complete Trek-Quest Camp Full program design Ready for pilot ORLO Game 5,300+ lines of design Ready for prototype
What's In Development (🟡)
Category Status Timeline TRICKED Book Raw material exists; assembly phase Q1-Q2 2026 WIRED Book Architecture complete Q2-Q3 2026 Website In development Mid-February 2026 Adams State Partnership Course development 2026 prep → 2027 launch Chronicles World outlined, initial episodes filmed Ongoing
What's Future (🔴)
Category Target Online Credentialing Platform 2027+ Hub Club facilities 2028+ Research validation studies As partnerships form
INVESTMENT AND TRAJECTORY
2026 Investment Need
Metric Low High Total Annual Investment $172,435 $233,695 Revenue Potential $6,600 $7,100 Net Funding Needed $165,335 $227,095
2026 Committed Activities
These are happening regardless of external response:
Activity Timeline Website launch Mid-February 2026 TRICKED book Q1-Q2 2026 WIRED book Q2-Q3 2026 FLL Bootstrap Guide distribution Fall 2026 Adams State class development 2026 prep FLL Robotics team Current season Four seasonal events Throughout year Board recruitment By spring 2026
Development Trajectory
2026-2027:
Adams State teacher training Course 1 (April 2027 launch)
Research partnerships for systematic validation
1-3 pilot community implementations beyond Golden
Trek-Quest Camp pilot
2027-2028:
Teacher training platform expansion
Broader pilot implementations
Chronicles media development
ORLO digital development (if warranted)
2029+:
Online Credentialing Platform pilot
National scaling strategy
Multiple Club implementations
THE BOTTOM LINE
steamHouse is not another program competing for space in crowded schedules.
steamHouse is infrastructure for conscious, purposeful living—deployable across existing contexts.
The Complete Offer
Component Function Core Curriculum Foundational concepts Universal Team Framework Team development (any activity) Six Books Conceptual frameworks Credentialing System Making development visible Home Team Family practice Globe Team Global purpose Trek-Quest Camp Intensive experiences ORLO Game Experiential learning Chronicles Story Narrative motivation Lifelong Learning Adult development
All serving one mission: Developing humans who can think consciously, act purposefully, and live connectedly in a world that makes this increasingly difficult—and increasingly necessary.
The Value Proposition
steamHouse offers something no other educational approach provides:
A complete, integrated framework addressing the full spectrum of human development
Tested in community over 8+ years with real families
Research-grounded across 15+ disciplines with 1,100+ sources
Systematically documented in 2,000+ pages of curriculum
Scalable by design through the activity overlay framework
Positioned for diverse communities with faith-neutral, epistemically serious stance
The Vision
A world where young people develop as conscious authors of their own lives.
Where "think about your thinking" becomes as natural as "look both ways before crossing."
Where cooperation across profound difference is the cultural norm, not the exception.
Not autopilot. Authorship.
steamHouse succeeds not when everyone knows our name, but when these principles spread so widely that no one remembers where they came from.
That's the world we're building toward.