New Studio

(Year 3, Week 28)

Welcome Back

The heroes were ecstatic as they walked into the new studio. They were greeted by the guides and hand sanitizer. They all giggled as they took off their shoes and followed the guide into the new space.

“Wow!”

“OMG look at all of the rooms!”

“I am so happy to see everyone!”

The heroes started off their day with a morning launch centered around the new systems, expectations and an exciting scavenger hunt. They set off to find three new and cool things in the studio. They came back excited to share about the sewing machine, soaring room, 3D pen and more. They wanted to know immediately what they could use and how freedom levels worked so they could earn their way into the Creators Space.

More importantly than all of the cool new things they got to see and try out. They were beyond thrilled to be with one another. They chatted about what they did over the break and were excited to start forming new friendships with one another.

Monday flew by and while it was fun and exciting. The heroes were also met with many new systems, tasks and different ways to track and manage goals. They took on the challenge with ease and readiness, with one hero saying,

“a real good overwhelming day.”

Real World Calculations

On Monday the heroes were met with a new challenge that incorporates math, handwriting and problem solving. Moving forward, if the heroes want to get into a higher freedom level, they must track their goals in their new, Daily Goals journal.

The objective is to get them used to setting goals and working hard to reach them. It also helps them to work on their handwriting and overall organization. The real kicker is how math was implemented into the daily goals system.

The heroes were then faced with the task of calculating their own points. Moving forward, they will be able to pitch their own points to the guide, within reason. Then they will calculate how much they will earn from the points. This new system is to get their wheels turning about how math can be used in the real world. It will also help them master goals in subjects that might be more difficult than others. The heroes were excited to be able to pitch and negotiate points which motivated them to hit goals throughout the week.

Escape!

The quest presented to the heroes on their first week back filled them with excitement. The heroes were challenged to create an escape room that their parents will be challenged to try and get out of come exhibition. They were put into squads and given two different challenges during the week. One was a puzzle challenge and the second was a transparency challenge. While they were faced with only two challenges to complete, the heroes, as usual, went above and beyond.

One squad put together an entire scavenger hunt centered around reading and finishing riddles. Another squad was able to use pictures and imagery to trick and deceive the escape artists and a third squad centered their entire room around a theme based on finishing a story. Their imaginations ran wild. Every morning when being greeted at the door the guide was shown multiple props that they brought in from home; Fake bones, locks, treasure chests, streamers, journals and even a small fog machine.

Unfortunately, per the heroes request, there won’t be too many details about quest in the upcoming blogs. Simply because,

“We can’t let our parents know anything! We want it to be so hard they beg us for clues!”

Outdoor Experience

The heroes loved the new studio and were infatuated with the new outdoor space. When going out the back doors, the heroes were met with baseball fields, grass fields, tennis courts, volleyball courts and even a playground that they are patiently waiting on to open. They got right to playing and creating memories the second that free time hit.

In the past, Outdoor Experience had been a bit of a struggle for some heroes. Sometimes they didn’t want to play the game that was voted on and others wanted to spend more time inside. There was a big shift in attitudes during the first week back at the new studio. It could have been because of the new space and places to explore or it could have simply been because they are back with their friends and excited to be together.

One shift that was seen was when a hero brought out his baseball gear. Many curious heroes gathered around and asked how to play, how to hold a bat and what the rules were. Soon enough the heroes were lining up to bat and taking turns shagging balls in the outfield. Many having so much fun that all track of time was lost. Watching them discover new passions, especially finding an activity to do outside was a very rewarding moment.

Creator’s Space

The Creators Space was a hit for the heroes. Many filled into the studio excited to try out new crafts. One hero worked incredibly hard all week to be able to make his mother a gift for Mother’s Day. He achieved record breaking points and stuck to his Daily Goal Journals. He was the first hero to learn how to use the X-Carve and was excited of the thought that he gets to help future heroes who want to try their hand at woodworking.

The Creator’s Space already received a makeover. Many of the heroes who enjoyed painting all week realized that it was potentially damaging the studio. They approached the guide and asked if the painting could be added to the Creator’s Space where they could be more free to practice their love of art and keeping the studio a sacred place.

The Creator’s Space also offered opportunity for heroes to go out and research how to use specific machines like the sewing machine and Cricket. Many of the heroes wanted to learn how they could advance to use the different devices and set plans to buy supplies with their Hero Bucks. They talked about the excitement they felt to be able to use their money that they had earned to fuel their passion projects.

Wrap-Up

What a week! The heroes showed so much excitement and dedication to the new studio and systems. The kind words were flowing and the imagination was at an all time high. There were so many happy moments and it was one of the most intentional weeks the heroes have had. As expressed in the blog, the heroes were held to a very high standard when it came to treating the studio like a sacred place and reaching goals to get into soaring. However, they didn’t show a moment of reluctance to goal setting, working hard and of course, having a blast with their friends. The joy that is captured in the studio cannot be expressed in words, but perhaps a few laughing pictures could do the week justice.