Beginning–The First Flame
Imagine this…you are a young traveler stepping into a forest. The air is alive with whispers of adventure and one by one other travelers begin to appear. Some travelers are bold, some quiet, all carrying unseen gifts. No one yet knows each other’s names, but one truth is clear: no traveler can journey alone.
This is the beginning (in fact the exact narrative) of our first Quest of the year: Build the Team—Forest. Every year, the first session lays the foundation for our Acton studio culture. The arc of the Quest is that heroes wander the forest hoping to gather their strength and the strength of a team to ignite the First Flame–a magical fire that can only be lit when a true team is formed. This week at Acton Academy Oshkosh, I saw true sparks in each studio’s forest!
At Spark Land, a game of Freeze Tag lit up the playground. A frozen learner called “Help me!” and in a flash, another learner dashed from behind a tree with a big smile and shared “I’ve got you! You’re unfrozen, let’s run together!” More “Help Me” shouts echoed the grounds and like a symphony of heroes I heard “I’ll help him” “I’ll save you!” These joyful moments may just seem like a game but in actuality this is how a community of heroes is grown, this is how heroes learn the importance of working together. It only takes one act of courage, one act of kindness, to spark a forest of heroes to glow their flame!
At Acton Main, there were a bounty of joyful moments this week too! One moment that assured me of our school’s strong start happened at the end of the first day. As Discovery learners reflected in a circle, they were asked “Did you discover a strength in someone you hadn’t noticed before?” Hands flew up. First a new learner was celebrated for leading tug-of-war with kindness and fairness. Another was honored for including every girl at lunch. Then came a chorus of voices naming the bravery of new heroes who faced their fears and joined in, despite worry. One learner shared the most beautiful sentence: “You were a hero today!”
This is what Acton is all about. Kindness. Inclusion. Courage. Heroes seeing heroes and heroes gaining belonging.
More than any other first week in our last six years, this week had the strongest beginning, the clearest Acton culture. This week, I even shed happy tears for how welcoming every returning learner was to each new hero. Without any prompting, learners chose to care. This is the Acton we’ve been working towards.
At Acton, the Hero’s Journey doesn’t just belong to learners. It belongs to every traveler who dares to step onto the path. Parents, your journey is beginning too. Just as your children have faced the unknown, tested their courage, and reached for new friendships, you are invited to do the same: to welcome, to connect, and to discover your own gifts within this community.
The My Hero’s Journey Family Badge is your call to adventure. It is a chance to step beyond the familiar, to pause and reflect on the story you are writing as a family, and to see how your path intertwines with the flames your children are sparking here each day.
The truth is, no one can light the First Flame alone. Learners, Guides, and parents together weave the fabric of our Acton culture. With every “welcome,” every act of kindness, every choice to lean in instead of step back—you help ignite the fire that will guide us all.
So I ask you: Will you step into the forest with us? Will you walk as fellow travelers beside your children? The First Flame is waiting, and together, we will see it shine.