From Curiosity to Creation: Learners Leading the Way

spark studio

This week was full of connection, growth, and discovery!
We spent time revisiting our Contract of Promises, going through multiple rounds of revisions together. Through this process, learners experienced what it means to edit and refine ideas—a wonderful real-life lesson in reflection and collaboration.

We also enjoyed FaceTiming with our friends in the Netherlands, strengthening our global connections and sharing smiles across the ocean.
With the cooler weather, we opened the garage doors and windows and took deep breaths of fresh air while working on core skills in the great outdoors. Learners explored concepts of weight and height, measuring themselves and one another to discover who the tallest and shortest, as well as the lightest and heaviest Sparkers, are!

Each day, we’ve been sharing our daily goals with our running partners, setting meaningful intentions and working toward earning more badges. Our new visual badge plans have become a wonderful motivator, inspiring many learners to explore new areas of interest in order to master their works.
We continue practicing our daily coin challenges, where each day focuses on a different value—such as showing good manners, helping a friend, or challenging yourself.
During conferences, we truly loved connecting with each of you. Though the time was brief, it was heartwarming to watch your learners take ownership of their growth and share their excitement for learning.

Between saying goodbye to friends moving to the Netherlands and meeting so many families during conferences, we were reminded of a beautiful Spark tradition that we’ll be bringing back soon. Please keep an eye out for a family signup and further details to come!

lower elementary studio

This week in Quest, learners began exploring the world of bath, body, and cleaning product solutions—experimenting with ingredient combinations and learning how science and creativity meet in product design. In Story Arts, they connected this work to branding, studying how colors, scents, and design choices communicate emotion and meaning. Each learner began imagining how they might one day brand their own creations—thinking like both artists and entrepreneurs.

In Science, learners conducted hands-on experiments with vinegar and essential oils, observing chemical reactions and connecting them to real-world applications. They also stepped into the shoes of Michelangelo, painting on ceilings to experience his perspective and perseverance firsthand. Later in the week, guest expert Clayton Ollarvia joined us to share about banking and cybersecurity, guiding learners through conversations on protecting ideas and resources in a digital age. We closed with a guest visit in Inventure Lab, where imagination and innovation came together once again.

As a reminder, sign up for Inventure Lab! The deadline is fast approaching.

upper elementary studio

Celebration:
A huge thank you to everyone for the amazing birthday wishes for Mr. Hadrian! Mr. K and all the Uppers planned an incredible series of surprises, including:

Giving “flowers,” where every learner shared something they like about Mr. Hadrian
A slideshow of baby pictures and five fun facts
A handwritten poster and notes
A decorated desk
A special lunch surprise
Feeling truly loved and appreciated!

Quest:
After learning from our Clear Water Solutions expert about using natural systems for filtration, learners got hands-on by making their own water filter systems using charcoal, sand, and gravel. Each group had a budget and had to “purchase” materials wisely. They:

Drew designs for their filter
Built their systems
Iterated based on results

Some groups even tested the filtered water to see if it was cleaner than the pond water they started with. Learners also began preparing their pitches for Forest School’s challenge: solving the problem of learners not drinking enough water.

Civ:
This week revealed some unexpected challenges as learners struggled to read maps—a valuable learning experience! Learners:

Practiced drawing fantasy mountains, bodies of water, and labels
Located mountains and other places on maps of the Middle East and Europe
Used real maps as references, which required patience and problem-solving

By the end of the challenge, all learners seemed to grasp the concepts and gained confidence in navigating and creating maps. We'll continue to refine and add to them in the coming weeks.

Story Arts:
Learners continued developing story ideas for their leadership-focused comic books. We’ve also been checking in about “dream teams” to figure out who they’d like in their corner. Soon, learners will begin crafting emails to reach out to these people and invite them to support their projects.

Learner-Led Conferences:
It was wonderful to see everyone at Learner-Led Conferences! We’re still wrapping up a few this week.

Godspeed

middle school studio

A Week of Design, Math, and Momentum

This week, our heroes made major progress toward the Children’s Business Fair, blending creativity, problem-solving, and real-world math in powerful ways.

Early in the week, they focused on the financial side of entrepreneurship—building detailed financial plans for their small businesses. With guidance from staff (including our Math Guide), learners explored pricing, costs, and profit margins to understand how smart financial decisions lead to sustainability and success.

From there, creativity took over. Heroes designed and refined their logos and brand identities, first sketching by hand and then bringing their ideas to life digitally. Teams shared feedback, selected their favorite designs, and finalized Brand Kit 2.0, which now includes their brand name, logo, packaging design, and an explanation of how their branding connects to their target audience.

On the production side, Chief Chemists improved their Product Prototypes, while Operations and Finance Managers tested and adjusted their Unit Economics Sheets, experimenting with pricing strategies to boost profit without sacrificing value. Each iteration showed their growing understanding of how creativity and strategy work hand in hand.

The week also included Learner-Led Conferences, giving learners the chance to lead conversations about their growth, goals, and learning journeys. This reflection time reinforced ownership and accountability—core pillars of self-directed learning. We also wrapped up with Civilization and a Town Hall, where heroes shared ideas they have to make the Studio better.

A quick reminder: D.E.A.R. (Drop Everything and Read) is every Thursday—heroes bringing books from home should plan ahead.

Overall, this week captured the blend of design, math, and momentum—proving that when learners take ownership of their process, every step becomes a chance to think deeply, create boldly, and grow with purpose.

high school studio

A Week of Growth, Reflection, and Gratitude

This week in the High School Studio has been full of meaningful learning and important conversations. On November 4th, we held Hero-Led Conferences, where parents and heroes sat down to review badge plan progress and set goals for finishing the 2025 school year strong. It was inspiring to see heroes take ownership of their learning and reflect on their growth so far.

Throughout the week, heroes have continued diving into Core Skills and Civilization. This session’s Civilization topic: Cultural Appropriation vs. Cultural Appreciation. This session’s Civilization has challenged learners to think deeply about identity, respect, and perspective. They’ve heard from several guest speakers who have lived in Oman, India, and Spain, as well as someone who shared their experience of life inside a cult. These real-world stories have helped heroes develop empathy, broaden their worldview, and strengthen their growth mindset.

We also want to take a moment to express our gratitude to everyone who helped bring the Haunted House to life. Whether through donations, materials, or time, your support made the event an incredible success. Thank you for continuing to show up for our learners and our community—it truly makes a difference.

—Onward

Session 3: Year 8, WeeK 12 In Review