Session 6, Week 5
There are big moments like the Children’s Business Fair this Saturday that bring great joy:
And then there are small moments that bring great joy as well:
In the Spark Studio this week our butterflies hatched from their chrysalis. All week we watched 5 little painted lady butterflies eat, flutter, and rest. We have done Montessori works with the butterflies and listened to music with them. At Exhibition they were ready to be released into the wild. Several heroes asked if they could have a picture with the butterflies before we released them. As the enclosure was opened and the first butterfly flew away, shrieks of pure joy and excitement rang through the air.
During CHOICE work cycle the learners created a new game. They time each other for 30 seconds and see how many times they can run around the discussion rug. As soon as heroes do the CHOICE work cycle challenge they race for a turn to run around the rug. Currently the record is 10 times around in 30 seconds. Such joy in a simple run!
As we have watched our various plants grow this session, I have observed how satisfied the learners seem with the task of taking care of a plant. They water. They trim. They make sure it has sunlight. They are literally watching plants grow and it brings joy!
In the Fire Studio heroes found joy in lots of little things this week—a word spelled right in the Spelling Bee, the smell of a very rainy day, the feel of another badge submission hitting the guide inbox, and the final bow after a CIV theater performance.
A couple of little things most heroes would have probably preferred to skip—the Session 6 360 Review and Donut Reflection—beautifully captured the studio’s year of growth in confidence, compassion, and holding excellent expectations for themselves and others. These moments of looking inward and outward at the strengths and weaknesses of themselves and others builds individual heroes and a community of heroes who give me hope for the future.
But even in the little things, like the way heroes surrounded and supported a birthday hero Thursday for a final cheer for the day, or creating statues from garbage, there is simply…joy!
DELTA Heroes found a lot of joy in sharing their opinions one on one in multiple discussions this week. It is fun to watch heroes who often choose to sit in silence in large discussions become engaged and maybe even heated!
Heroes were fascinated by the real-life Top Gun pilot’s stories.
Heroes who don’t usually love soccer, had huge smiles on their faces as they received some instruction from experienced heroes and then split into self-selected groups and played against other heroes close to their same skill level.
As we played a wrap up game in Quest, it felt really good to heroes to recognize what they had learned in 3 weeks! Those heroes who finished their session goals felt great joy about the relaxing break week they can have because they are all caught up!
Hearing the whirl of their engine for the first time brought great joy! (I missed the moment on camera. This re-enactment doesn’t do it justice)
But perhaps the greatest joy in the DELTA Studio came from the Found Art statues. For some it was easier than for others, but they each let go of their inhibitions and created creative, hilarious and impressive statues purely made out of garbage!
Big or small. Creative or in the box. Hard work or hard fun. These heroes find joy each day in the big and the small!