Handiwork and Mentoring, Day 4

On the fourth day of our Odyssey excursion, the theme for the adolescents was Handiwork and Mentorship. These are two fundamental pieces of the Adolescent program - working with their hands to make something and also mentoring between other planes and levels. 

The boys worked on their woodworking and painting for their mother's day projects. They independently figured out how to cut apart a wooden palette, sand the wood, clean the wood, and stain their pieces before problem solving how to nail them together.

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It was so valuable to see them independently figure out what they wanted to build, how to follow multiple steps to prepare all their materials, and then work together to create something they had envisioned. Not only did it help them in their multi-step processing and planning, but it gave them the pride and sense of accomplishment of finishing something that they made entirely themselves.

In the afternoon of that Thursday, we went to South Campus to help Miss Novak's E1 class make THEIR mother's day projects - foot soak. Myself, Matthew, and Sam took a group of children and helped them through the multi-step procedure to make their gifts. Not only did they combine epsom salt, baking soda, and essential oils, but they had to measure and beautifully contain their foot soak and wrap it in tissue paper and place it in a bag.

Seeing the Adolescent boys in this environment, their confidence glows and their leadership is evident. The younger students love having them come in and it seems like it is a mutual feeling. We completed the mother's day gifts in an efficient amount of time and I believe the E1 students were grateful we came and sad to see us leave. What a beautiful day of handiwork and inter-level mentorship and leadership! 

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