DF Welcomes Sequoia Children’s Center as a New Partner in Twin Falls, Idaho
Denali Foundation Welcomes Sequoia Children’s Center
July 30, 2025
We are proud to announce a new chapter for the Denali Foundation as we become the official fiscal sponsor of Sequoia Children’s Center, an arts-based preschool located in the heart of Twin Falls, Idaho.
Founded in 2025, Sequoia Children’s Center is meeting a critical need in a small rural town where access to high-quality, arts-based education has been limited. The school currently serves 35 local families, including low-income and foster children, providing a nurturing space where young minds can grow through imagination, creativity, and play.
This partnership carries deep personal significance. Denali Schmidt, the inspiration behind our foundation, attended a Waldorf school as a child. That experience profoundly shaped who he was, both as an artist and as a human being. The Waldorf philosophy encouraged his creativity, independence, and deep connection to the world around him. Denali was rarely seen without his sketchbook and continued creating throughout his life.
In a beautiful and symbolic connection, one of the few original paintings Denali left behind is a large oil-on-canvas portrait of Rudolf Steiner, the founder of Waldorf education. Today, that painting hangs in the teachers' lounge at Sequoia Children’s Center. It stands as a tribute to Denali’s legacy and to the values he held dear—art, education, and the freedom to explore.
Rudolf Steiner founder of Waldorf education:
"Our highest endeavor must be to develop free human beings who are able of themselves to impart purpose and direction to their lives."
At the Denali Foundation, we believe every child deserves the opportunity to experience the kind of creative, holistic education that helped shape Denali's path. Thanks to this partnership, children in Twin Falls now have access to that same foundation, regardless of their family’s income or background.
We are honored to support Sequoia Children’s Center and proud to help expand access to meaningful, arts-based learning in this vibrant community.
To learn more about Sequoia Children’s Center or to sponsor a child with quality education, please visit https://www.sequoiachildrenscenter.com/.
With gratitude and vision,
The Denali Foundation Team