Week 21 in Review: Creation is hard work
This week, our Heroes started the compost bin and researched healthcare!
Middle School Update
Creation is hard work.
This year, our focus has been on culture—what is it and how is it made?
We've looked at culture from many angles—history, art, literature, music, etc. But we've also experienced culture creation firsthand. Six months ago, the Middle School Studio didn't exist. We all—Guides, Heroes, Parents, and Co-founders alike—stepped into a new thing. We all made something new.
What have we learned?
First and foremost, we've learned that creation is hard work. There is something adrenaline-inducing and life-giving about being the "pioneers," the first ones here putting our fingerprints on a culture that will live on even after our time in the Studio. But even with all of the excitement and enthusiasm that learners have brought to building our community, the obstacles have been many and the challenges demanding.
The life of a Middle Schooler is all about exploring identity. Who am I really? Where and how do I fit in here? What do I give this community and what does it give to me? The answers to these questions are always in flux—adolescence is anything but static. And, as our identities and relationships fluctuate, so does the culture we create.
Heroes have learned to be flexible. They have learned that to create a culture means to be open to growth and change in yourself. They have learned that this is messy, awkward, and sometimes painful. They have learned that creating a flourishing culture and growing as a Hero have a lot in common. Neither happen by accident, both require hard work and intentionality, and there's a good chance dragons will be in your path.
Elementary Update
“What we once enjoyed and deeply loved we can never lose, For all that we love deeply becomes a part of us.” - Helen Keller
The Hero’s Journey is a path that is anything but predictable. We don’t know when we’ll be called to leave the ordinary world, who our mentors will be or what trials we will face. We’ll meet many people along the way—some for a reason, some for a season, and perhaps, some for a lifetime. This week we said goodbye to a fellow traveler who was very much a part of our family here in the Elementary Studio.
To our departing hero, as you begin your Hero’s Journey in Florida, know that you are traveling with the encouragement, love, and support of the heroes here at The Forest School.
We also said hello to a new traveler this week. The Elementary heroes welcomed her with excitement, and she is quickly becoming acclimated to our unique culture. So, we travel a little further along our paths, as individuals and as a Studio; some familiar faces will move on and new faces will join us, but we remain forward moving.
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