At Acton Academy Palm Harbor, our Eagles voted to include the following language in their studio contract: I promise to be on a Hero's Journey.
What does it mean to be on a Hero's Journey? Well, it's a way to think about life, our passions, gifts and challenges, and the transformation that happens when you commit to using your gifts to change the world in a positive way.
Joseph Campbell noticed patterns in stories and the evolution of heroes as they find themselves comfortable at home, but experience a challenge or a call to adventure, urging them to learn and grow.
At Acton Academy Palm Harbor, we believe that every child is a genius, a hero, that will find a calling and change the world. This is not a mere slogan, but a deep rooted belief that we are all capable of facing our fears and realizing our full potential.
This big idea drives our overarching work each day in the studio. In our first quest of the year - Building the Tribe - Eagles engaged in team building to develop relationships, work collaborativley to create a studio contract, and to learn how to hold one another accountable along this year's journey.
Entrepreneurship was our second quest, where Eagles explored fundamentals of starting a business and thinking about how passions and interests can be transformed into an opportunity to earn money.
At Acton Academy Palm Harbor, we embrace the gift of failure, as they explore and try new concepts, learning from real life experiences like selling at the Children's Business Fair. Eagles must also set daily smart goals and work with their running partner to stay on track during self-paced core skills.
In our studio, freedom to fly, learn deeply, develop lasting friendships and to contribute to the community, are hallmarks of our learner-driven environment.
The Hero's Journey is not just for children. As a guide in the studio, I am inspired and challenged daily by our Eagles. They are so capable and it is an inspiration to see the growth and ingenuity that occurs when adults step back and allow children to lead their own learning. When we face fears, learn from failure and use our passions to develop a calling, each of us has the power to truly change the world.
~Kristy Moody, Proud Acton Academy Palm Harbor Owner & Guide