Creating Future Careers for Graduates To Make
A Positive Impact
In Their Communities
GAA Core Values
A message from our founder, Mark Casazza
Great Adventure Academy (501c3) was founded in Northwestern, Montana, to provide individualized education in construction and regenerative agriculture trades so that students have the possibility of entering directly into careers after their studies. We believe every student is designed with immense potential and can be motivated to pursue excellence. Through our program, we guide students to develop leadership skills, model citizenship, steward their talents, build genuine relationships, and contribute to stabilizing the workforce.
Core Team
We're Inspired to make a positive impact
on the next generation workforce
and their communities
Mark Casazza
Founder | Exec. Director | Dean
Mark is the founding visionary of GAA. He launched a similar program at Whitefish High School (Whitefish, MT) where he taught for over 29 years. He offers construction, regenerative agriculture and business expertise with his hands-on teaching style. As a construction firm owner/contractor and former cattle rancher / beef producer, Mark is passionate about guiding teens and young adults in ag and construction traders and training teachers to develop their talents and prepare for successful careers.
Matt Hollaway
Academic Director
Matt is a writer, editor, and educator. He taught high-school English at Whitefish High School for six years before opening a general tutoring business, which quickly morphed into a full-scale college consulting business, 15+ years in experience. Matt helps students through the college search and application process, as well as scholarship procurement and standardized testing preparation. Matt is also the Fiction Editor at Whitefish Review and holds a B.A. in English and a M.F.A. in Creative Writing.
Chris Bickford
Ag Program Educator
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Chris is a garden educator for K-12 Regenerative Ag students and founder of WhiteStar Organics, the only USDA Certified Organic Produce operation Whitefish, MT, on 6+ acres of sandy loam, where a abundant produce is cultivated. He became interested in organic agriculture as a young adult while attending Penn State and has been farming for 20 + years. He's passionate for sustainable agriculture, garnishing extensive expertise from farm-to-table operations to a 2000+ share CSA.
Duane Stonehouse
Lead Construction Teacher
Bio coming soon
Board of Directors
William Penniman
President
Bill Penniman is founder/CEO, Big Sky Penn Design. He's a commercial designer who has worked with a design-build firm and serves on non-profit boards. He's a founding board member of GAA.
Rose Casazza
Treasurer
Rose was a cattle rancher/entrepreneur in both North Dakota and Montana for over 40 years. She's proudly raised seven sons to become entrepreneurial business leaders. She's a founding board member of GAA.
Laura Adams
Board Member
Laura's a multi-industry entrepreneur with specialties in business strategies, writing, entertainment and interior design. She's founder of a specialty wine and gift market and serves as VP/Artistic director for a creativity leadership education non-profit.
Our Partnerships
