Session 4, Week 6
The Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl weren’t the only win worth celebrating last week! At CHOICE last week, the wins were everywhere. One delightful win was watching young Heroes in every studio plan and execute their own Valentine’s Day celebrations from start to finish — a powerful reminder of what happens when children are trusted with responsibility. Each studio proposed their party, organized supplies, created systems for delivering valentines, managed the exchange logistics, and celebrated together — all on their own. The creativity on display in the Valentine’s boxes was incredible. A special win was seeing that even in the DELTA studio, there is still space for older Heroes to be children — using imagination, ingenuity, and creativity to design fun and thoughtful boxes. One touching moment in the Fire Studio captured the spirit of the week: a Hero overwhelmed while trying to match personalized valentines to classmates’ boxes began to ask a Guide for help. Before she could respond, another Hero stepped in. Together, they solved the problem. That is community. These celebrations perfectly captured this week’s theme: the many small wins that happen when Heroes are empowered to take charge of their education.
Spark Studio
When one Hero’s Valentine’s box broke, another immediately stepped in to help fix it. A small moment, but a powerful reminder that our Heroes look out for one another without being asked. Another hero took the time all on his own to glue the name of every hero in his studio on a personalized pair of glasses! (His older brother did the same in the Fire Studio!)
Cleaning took on new life this week as Heroes collaborated on creative ways to care for their studio. Whether tidying after big projects or helping a friend finish a job, they showed pride in their shared space.
Many Spark Heroes stretched themselves into new Montessori works, ready for the next challenge. Even Heroes who had previously struggled to engage were diving deeply into work cycles with renewed focus and determination — a huge personal win.
Throughout the week, we saw Heroes comforting injured friends, welcoming new friendships, and eagerly teaching one another how to complete works. The studio buzzed with encouragement and mentorship.
“I messages” were used thoughtfully and often, helping Heroes resolve conflicts with honesty and respect. They also worked together to create systems that kept games safe and fun for everyone — collaboration at its finest.
And perhaps the biggest Spark win of all — the ENTIRE exhibition was run by the Heroes themselves! The Spark Aquarium came to life as families were guided through exhibits designed and presented by the Heroes. The pride was palpable. Woohoo!
in the Fire Studio
Fire Studio saw wins in courage, mastery, and perseverance.
Several Heroes earned their very first badges — and others earned their first badges in new categories. Many celebrated halfway milestones in Math, Writer’s Gym, and Amira, clear evidence they are on track toward their yearly goals.
There were some literal victories, too! Heroes earned top spots in the Math Facts Tournament and the Spelling Bee.
Two Heroes completed a Resolution Room and earned the chance to watch a Studio C — a celebration of accountability and growth. Others courageously apologized to repair broken contract promises. Two Heroes prepared and launched a Socratic discussion, leading their peers through thoughtful dialogue. And reflection was front and center this week as Heroes offered warm and cool feedback to squad members, Guides, and Exhibition committees — all in the spirit of growth. All these little wins come together to create big wins for a community and individuals!
One Hero memorized and recited a poem — and two fellow Heroes who secretly listened erupted in cheers the moment he finished. What a beautiful picture of encouragement and community.
Exhibition week wrapped up Physics: Newton’s Toy Shop with so many wins worth celebrating. Our launches connected Physics to the real world in exciting ways — including figure skating and the importance of understanding your center of mass; helping Heroes see how Physics shows up everywhere, and wrestling with the idea that failing forward may be the greatest win of all. Tying our learning to the Olympics brought in a little USA pride.
A huge win this week was courage. Heroes practiced pitching their toys to “investing” parents, and nerves were real — but so was bravery. Standing up to present ideas took confidence, and their belief in their creations became the highlight of Exhibition. Another common celebration was the constant spirit of “I wonder…” that carried through every experiment, build, and competition. Guides heard this statement many times, every day of the session. This is a statement that encourages learning!
Some Heroes worried they did not have a final toy — some showcased working prototypes, and others presented posters that captured their big idea. This was intentional and encouraged. In the real world, investors often fall in love with an idea first and help bring it to life later. What stood out most was the confidence Heroes showed in presenting their thinking, no matter what stage their project was in.
During post-Exhibition reflection, a clear pattern emerged. Many Heroes shared that designing toys — creating prototypes, testing them, and improving again and again — was their favorite part of the session. Some Heroes loved the final pitching experience most, while others found it challenging — and both perspectives were welcomed as part of learning.
Parents may not have seen the behind-the-scenes work that went into the “I Believe” statements Heroes added to their pitches. Writing and practicing why they believed in their toy sparked visible growth in confidence. One Hero even shared in reflection, “The I Believe Paper” was the best part of preparing to present.
When badge submissions caused confusion because challenges were still ongoing, Heroes reflected deeply on motivation. They realized their experiments and toy preparations were worth continuing — not for a badge, but for the joy of learning itself. That mindset shift? A huge win.
Finally, this session brought a major win in teamwork. Many challenges required strong squad collaboration — something that felt very difficult. By the end of the session, the studio was full of Heroes checking in on one another, helping teammates finish challenges, and learning systems together. The growth in teamwork was unmistakable even though quite challenging.
In the Delta Studio
On Monday, Delta Studio Heroes rallied to complete their zoos and badge challenges, finishing strong before Exhibition.
Tuesday may have been Exhibition day, but it felt like “Wins-day.” Heroes shared what they wanted to improve upon this Exhibition personally and then stepped up and made it happen — delivering stronger speeches, balancing presentation roles within squads, making eye contact, and speaking with confidence.
Their pride in their zoo creations was unmistakable. Taking them apart later in the week was no small task — a testament to the ownership they felt.
All week long, Delta Heroes showed an incredible attitude toward cleaning. They banded together to prepare for Exhibition, reset afterward, and even tackled deep-cleaning assignments with unity.
On Wednesday, they pushed themselves in Misogi — working hard and cheering each other on (even if they were sore the next day!). Celebrating afterward with ice skating, they tried new things and created lasting memories.
Thursday brought a spirited round of Limbo. Even those who were out early became the loudest cheerleaders, proving that participation looks many different ways.
Final Landing was filled with heartfelt gratitude. Heroes shared kind words about one another — the kind of words that you can’t record or it will ruin the moment! The respect and appreciation in the room was tangible.
Big wins are exciting. But this week reminded us that the small, daily wins — helping a friend, apologizing with sincerity, trying again after failing, choosing bravery, finishing strong till the end, cheering the loudest for someone else — are what truly define a Hero. From Spark to Fire to Delta, CHOICE Heroes showed that when curiosity, kindness, and courage come together, everyone wins.