Learning in Full Color: Music, Maps, Making, and Meaningful Work Across Our Studios

spark studio

We had a superb first week back, and learners jumped right into action! This week, three different families visited to share their culture, background, and traditions. Getting to know our families in this way builds community, trust, and deeper relationships. Belonging is essential for children to flourish, and that sense of belonging grows in a community where each person feels truly seen and valued.

As we dive deeper into culture and continents, each learner has gone home with a piece of music containing a single line from the continent they will be exploring this session. Learners will study their continent in depth and present their findings at our upcoming Exhibition. Please help your hero review their assigned line so they feel confident and prepared.

With Exhibition less than two weeks away, we will be sending out a Sign-Up Genius soon so families can volunteer to bring a special dish—something meaningful to your family that reflects tradition, comfort, and community. After sharing songs, new facts, and maybe even a few games, we will enjoy a small meal together to strengthen our connections.

In Spark, we also began discussing “dream teams”—what makes a great team and who we can invite into our lives to help us pursue our dreams. We encourage you to talk with your HERO about who they see as potential team members who can help make their goals a reality!

Finally, we were thrilled to welcome a new learner, Dakota, to the Spark Studio this week. We can’t wait to get to know the whole family and for them to become part of our community!

lower elementary studio

This week our Studio visited Georgia Tech to explore the art and science of papermaking. Learners watched how fibers become sheets and got to make a sheet of their own paper.

In other news, learners made steady progress on our inventions and continued building early prototypes. Learners also explored the art of shaping clay into sculptures. In Civilizations, we explored medieval artists and the techniques behind how they made their pigments.

A special shoutout to [missing name — you may want to fill this in] for a beautiful launch on circles! It was powerful to see learners open up about what was on their hearts and minds, and even ask for more time when it ended.

We also began mapping our Hero’s Journeys with help from Mr. Hadrian, our resident map maker, encouraging learners to reflect on the challenges and growth ahead. We can't wait for you to see their work at Exhibition!

It has been a full week of meaningful work, connection, and creativity!

upper elementary studio

This week we kicked off our new Quest: What’s Your Superpower? Learners are diving into the idea of giftedness—what makes each of them unique—and how their strengths can be used to make the world better.

To begin, heroes completed a Profile of Strengths, identifying:

Accomplishments they’re most proud of
Work and relational preferences
The kinds of products they love creating

With feedback from partners and Guides, they analyzed this data to identify their personal “superpowers”—from perseverance during tough challenges to coaching peers with kindness and clarity. Over the next two weeks, heroes will transform these powers into personalized trading cards, choosing either a Magic-style fantasy card or a classic sports trading card. These will be showcased at Dream Teams later this session.

Speaking of Dream Teams, heroes also drafted emails to potential members and refined their communication skills. We expect to send those messages out soon as they begin building supportive networks around their goals.

Civilization (Civ)

We opened our study of the Americas with a big question:
How do we know what life was like in the Americas between 500–1500 CE?

Learners examined primary sources—artifacts, tools, architecture—to piece together clues and construct early theories about life in North America before European contact.

Story Arts

In Story Arts, learners continued developing their original comics. They began transferring paper-and-pencil sketches into digital comic form, learning about layout, pacing, and visual storytelling.

Launches & Critical Thinking

This week’s launches emphasized analysis:

Who said it?
How do they know?
What do they want?

Learners practiced evaluating sources with Tyler using weather data, and with Hadrian by examining modern health claims from Dr. Peter Attia and John Schnatter (Papa John’s founder). We also discussed the difference between growth choices and static choices, challenging heroes to take actions—big or small—that help them grow every day.

To close out the week, Eily led Friday’s launch, teaching everyone about the unexpected origins of the Nyancat song and how it connects to today’s debates about AI-generated music.

middle school studio

New Quests, New Ideas, and New Leadership!

This week in the Middle School Studio was full of fresh starts, big ideas, and meaningful collaboration. With only a few weeks left in the session, our learners are diving into creative work, shaping their culture, and planning celebrations that showcase who they are becoming.

A New Quest: Passion Projects

We kicked off a brand-new Quest focused on Passion Projects—a learner-led journey where each hero designs and completes an individual project based on something that piques their interest and helps someone else. These projects can include anything from languages to coding to art to engineering (and everything in between!). Exhibition will also include heroes’ Dream Team meetings, where heroes will lead a meeting to share their goals and progress with their chosen Dream Teams.

New Council Elected

This week we also elected a new Middle School Council. These leaders will help guide Studio culture, plan events, and serve as the voice of their peers. We’re excited to watch them grow in responsibility and impact.

Story Arts Podcasting Begins

In Story Arts, learners started brainstorming ideas for their upcoming podcasts. From storytelling to themed deep-dives, heroes are beginning to carve out their creative direction. Recording begins soon, and we can’t wait to hear what they create.

Holiday Celebration Planning

Our Studio is buzzing with excitement as learners begin planning a holiday celebration to close out the session. Heroes are beginning to design a celebration that reflects our community values—joy, teamwork, and creativity. They have chosen to create a “Secret Santa,” where heroes draw a name online and trade gifts on Thursday, December 18th. To help make sure that no one is forgotten, heroes who do not bring a gift will not be able to participate in the gift exchange that day.

Co-Creating a Gaming Policy

One highlight recently was seeing Guides and learners work together to co-create a new gaming policy that supports healthier habits, focus, and community culture. Starting in Session Four, games on Chromebooks are allowed only during the second half of lunch (12:25–12:45) to encourage eating, socializing, and unplugging. Additionally, technology is not allowed during the morning recreation time to encourage learners to play outside, talk with their Studiomates, or enjoy board games.

To keep our Studio safe and productive, the following types of games are not allowed on any device: horror, violent, gambling or sweepstakes games, games with guns, games that set harmful examples, games that share personal information, multiplayer games with chat, or anything school inappropriate. If a hero is unsure whether a game is appropriate, they’re encouraged to ask a Guide.

Gaming During Work Time

To protect Core Skills and work time, heroes playing games outside of approved times may receive a verbal reminder, a new seat assignment, or a strike on the board. Heroes who consistently struggle may be placed in the Hero Penalty Box with reduced web access until healthier habits are restored. These expectations were developed together to support focus, responsibility, and meaningful work.

Updated AI Guardrails

Finally, Guides and learners partnered to update our AI Guardrails for responsible use of AI in the Studio. Our shared expectations help everyone use AI as a tool for creativity and learning—not a shortcut. You’re welcome to read the updated draft here: AI Use Guardrails Middle School

high school studio

Apprenticeships, Story Arts, and Studio Growth

This week was full of energy, exploration, and creativity across our Studio and apprenticeship programs! We kicked off the session with Story Arts, focusing on photography. On day one, we were joined by an expert who opened a whole new world for our heroes, showing them how to capture stories visually and express themselves through the lens. It was inspiring to see students dive in, experiment, and begin seeing the world—and themselves—in new ways.

Meanwhile, most of our heroes were out in the real world, engaging in incredible apprenticeships. From learning directly from commercial pilots in the cockpit to working with state legislators to craft bills with the potential to be passed, students are getting hands-on experience that connects their interests to real-world impact.

Back in the Studio, we focused on honing Core Skills, conducting meaningful check-ins, and helping students solidify their goals for the new year. We also made time to build connections and community, bonding during lunch and collaborating on shared projects.

It’s always exciting to see our heroes take initiative—whether tackling professional challenges in their apprenticeships, experimenting with photography in Story Arts, or strengthening themselves and each other in the Studio. Week by week, they continue to show that learning is most powerful when it’s active, creative, and connected to both personal goals and the wider world.

Session 4: Year 8, WeeK 15 In Review