This time of year carries a unique warmth. Across the globe, people of many different faiths celebrate holidays rooted in gratitude, devotion, and the hope of a brighter world. There seems to be more vocalization for the deep, shared human desire for Peace on Earth and good will toward men. It feels like the perfect moment to slow down, look outward, and wonder together about the beliefs, traditions, and stories that shape the lives of billions of people.
That is why, for Session 3, our entire school is uniting for our special World Religions Quest. We chose six major world religions to guide our learning—Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, and Sikhism. Our goal is to use this study of world religions to broaden our understanding of those we share this planet with, focus more on the similarities than differences, and hopefully increase our measure of goodwill among mankind. We don’t all have to share the exact same beliefs to build unity; we can have respect for another’s beliefs and see the beauty in their traditions without compromising our own faith and traditions.
To strengthen the spirit of togetherness, Quest squads were formed by mixing heroes from all three studios. Watching Delta Studio heroes lead with confidence and kindness while Fire and Spark heroes contribute with energy and enthusiasm has been inspiring.
One of the most meaningful parts of this study has been visiting actual houses of worship representing each of the six religions. Talking face-to-face with people from different faith communities has brought depth and authenticity to our learning. Many of these visits have already taken place, and families have shared how uplifting and eye-opening these experiences have been.
Another meaningful experience this week was the introduction to our school-wide service project: making sleeping mats out of recycled grocery bags. Several charities associated with many religions come together to help provide a warm, dry place to sleep for those in need. Mats are sent to refugee camps, orphanages, and areas with extreme poverty. This week the spark heroes started flattening and sorting the bags. Delta heroes (and blurplets) started cutting the bags. Next week the Fire heroes will loop bags together and Deltas will weave them into one mat. Each mat takes many hours of work and roughly 700 bags. The end product will not only help someone in need, but will represent how our community of heroes unites for good.
Outside of Quest, Session 3 opened with each studio’s treasure hunts! It is always fun to see the heroes work together to solve the clues. The 3d-printed mazes were a big hit in the Fire Studio.
