“A republic, if you can keep it.” (Year 1, Week 25)
This week we welcomed Session 6 of our first year at Heroes Academy. It is hard to believe how quickly the end of the year is approaching! We were excited to welcome two new heroes into the studio this session too, Alexa and Olivia. Both of these heroes have had highs and lows as they meet new fellow travelers and take on new challenges in the studio.
The week began with the introduction of this session’s focus character trait: curiosity. And the question of the session:
Why is curiosity important on a hero’s journey?
The heroes discussed whether curiosity is more important because it results in more knowledge or because it makes you try new things. With the hero’s fairly evenly split between the two options, an interesting discussion followed in which they were able to take a stand and provide evidence to back up their opinion.
Entrepreneurship Quest
This session the heroes are becoming entrepreneurs and creating their own businesses! They’ll have a chance to sell their products to real customers at a Children’s Business Fair.
On Wednesday, the heroes began developing their businesses further and deciding on what products they wish to create. The focus areas for the quest this week have been motivation (what makes you excited/what are your gifts/what do you love doing) and marketing. They were all particularly excited to learn that for the exhibition they will have their own booth to sell their product at a children’s business fair!
Art Challenge
Which side of the brain is the most important on a hero’s journey?
This question begun the discussion before the first art challenge of the session. The heroes were divided as to which side of the brain was the most important; some commented that you can live without the right side characteristics but that the left side brain was essential. Others believe that you can not truly be on a hero’s journey without the right brain.
After this interesting discussion, the heroes had an opportunity to engage, stretch and develop their right brain with an art challenge. They were challenged to move through three station set up around the studio to create a self-portrait using pencil, pastels and paint.
Patriot Day
Thursday was a full and exciting day at Heroes Academy. The heroes visited the Capitol Building to listen to speakers (including Abraham Lincoln and Benjamin Franklin) at the Patriot Day celebrations and explore the Capitol Building.
We were reminded of the value and honor of the freedoms we hold, echoed in final words of Benjamin Franklin at today’s event.
That we are “a republic, if you can keep it.”
In the afternoon the heroes welcomed a guest into the studio, Senator Chuck Winder. After touring the Senator through the studio, the heroes listened to him share some of his story and experiences and asked him questions about his own hero’s journey.
Real-world experiences and guest heroes are a wonderful part of the studio experience and a few most guest hero’s will be joining us this session.
New Systems in the Studio
Throughout this week the heroes have been introduced to a few new systems in the studio. Firstly, the studio resources and materials have all been sorted into tubs and clearly labelled. The studio now has “a place for everything, and everything in it’s place.” When wanting to use a resource, the heroes sign it out and sign it back in when it is returned — helping to equip then to hold each other accountable to treating the studio with respect.
In addition to supplies, all studio equipment, including studio maintenance materials are now organized with a place, improving the outcomes of studio maintenance.
On Friday, the heroes began a new weekly rhythm of sharing some of their progress with parents through Bloomz. In an effort to increase accountability and communication with parents, beginning next Friday, the heroes will be sharing with parents their weekly points total and challenge donut reflections. The goal of this system is to honor parents as the ultimate authority for their child’s learning (by offering them data for increased accountability outside the studio), as well as open up conversations about the individual journeys each child is on.
Wrapping Up
As the heroes settle back into the rhythms of the studio, the first week of a session is always a mix of excitement and motivation coupled with a struggle to refocus. But as the heroes continue to learn how to set challenging goals, choose hard work, and hold each other accountable, it’s clear that learning to be, learning to do, and learning to learn are evident in the studio.
We’re grateful to heroic parents who believe in their children enough to give them freedom, hold them accountable, let them fail, and possibly more important than all, cheer them on as they learn to become hero’s, out to change the world.
