Session 7, Week 4
The Hero’s Journey is a circle. We “Return Home” to where we began – only to start another journey. However, the crucial part of this circle is that we “Return home having changed.” We are a little different, a little transformed. Sometimes the changes are easy to see and feel, sometimes they are subtle. Sometimes the change is monumental, more often it is incremental. During this full week of reflection, continued hard work, and celebration, we asked the heroes “What did you learn this year that you are most excited about?” and “How have you changed this year.” Here are their responses interspersed with pictures of all this week’s fun!
Spark Studio: “What did you learn this year that you are most excited about?”
I’ve become a mathematician; I’ve become a better reader; I read more; I’ve completed gold drawers; I do other goals now; I did gold seven; I learned how things are made; I learned how to read better; I learned that doing hard work helps your brain; I got better at math; Challenging goals help me; Passing different levels ; That I can make friends
Fire Studio: “What did you learn this year that you are most excited about?”
I learned a lot of math; More math; I’ve learned how to hold people accountable; I’m better at multiplication; I’ve learned about the CHOICE culture; I learned more about my friends; Math is fun; I have freedom; I learned that I can make paper cranes and be creative; I learned what my hero’s journey was; How people help the earth; I can do more than I think; I can do math; I can color; I like quest; My curiosity habit; I learned about my friends; I like reading; I learned how to not think bad about myself; I can ask for help; Making new friends; My civ; How to write paragraphs; Making new friends; I read a challenging book; Long division; Quest challenges; How to read; All of my math
DELTA Studio: “What did you learn this year that you are most excited about?”
That I want to do graphic design stuff; Everything minus math; I read a lot of books.; I learned that i need to be more positive; I learned how to spar and give speeches; Woodworking; How to cut hair; Mark Rober engineering and medical biology; Stop Motion; How to play games; Finishing my goals; Grafitti art; math; I am most passionate about math; That I can reasonably do the thing I want to; Sewing; Math; No Red Ink (grammar); Blender and animation; Woodworking; Math
Spark Studio: “How have you changed this year?”
I’ve gotten better at reading; I compliment people more; I write my name better; I read better; I got better at writing; I’m less shy; I’m not scared of getting embarrassed; I get less distracted; I complete my goals more often; I’ve been more kind to others; I’ve made more friends; I got smarter; I can do hard things now
Fire Studio: “How have you changed this year?”
I’m smarter and I know I can do hard things; I can read really well now; I’ve gotten more friends; I got taller; I am more comfortable talking to people; I have gotten better at reading and writing; I learned to focus better; I learned how to focus more; Now I talk a lot; I work harder; I don’t goof off; I’m a better squad member; I’m a better leader; I focused on my work more; I have more friends; I read a lot more; I am more confident; I am brave; I’m smarter; I’m more organized; I think about other people now; I learn more than I used to; I know more; I like to learn; I’m more patient; I’m better at making friends; I’m better at holding people accountable; I can focus more; I have way more courage
DELTA Studio: “How have you changed this year?”
I’ve gotten more confident; I am better at focusing; More focused; Not getting distracted as much; Finishing my goals faster; I’m much more selfless; I have gotten way more social; Better listener; Little kids don’t annoy me as much; I realized being a leader can be used for good and bad; Worked on habits more by doing them at the start of the year; I’m a better friend; Focused more in Core Skills; be able to call people better on the phone ( from apprenticeship); I mentored others and strived more for excellence; I can now talk in front of people better; I helped people more; I’m more proud of myself; I am happier and I help people more; I feel like I was more inclusive; I have met a lot of people and made a bunch of friends; I’m a bit more organized.
How would you answer those questions? “What did YOU learn this year that YOU are most excited about?” “How have YOU changed this year?”
Change is hard. It usually takes a Road of Trials to help us transform. The changes the heroes recognized in themselves this year are changes that will impact the rest of their lives. I am so grateful for the young people at CHOICE who are willing to change, who are willing to do hard things, who are willing to be brave, who are willing to go out of their comfort zones, who are willing to be allies, helpers and mentors… who are willing to accept the call to be on a Hero’s Journey. They are inspirational and a true joy to be on a journey with. We will miss them this summer and look forward to new transformations and new journeys ahead! THANK YOU for an incredible year! Thank you for helping to make our CHOICE culture flourish!
