"Do something today that your future-self will be proud of."
This June, we celebrated our second-ever Launchpad graduation, honoring the journey of Pruthviraj Chavda, his family, and the village that raised him. He began at The Humanist Academy back in the Fall of 2016, when we first opened our doors to this brand new, disruptive model of education... and wow, what a journey it has been!
If you are an Acton parent, guide, owner, or learner, and you're ever wondering if all the struggle, the rigor, the difficulty of a model that exposes your flaws and catalyzes raw, real, and strenuous inner growth... if you're ever wondering if it's all worth it, may this prove a reassuring reminder.
The path we've chosen is far from easy; it's absolutely "the road less traveled." But when you see a learner who started eight years ago, now equipped and ready to cross that final threshold and enter the real world, you're reminded of why it's all worth it.
As you witness how Socratic discussions have fostered critical thinking, Deep Book Badges have nurtured a love of reading, service hours and Servant Leader Badges have created an awareness of the grander world they are a part of, the studio culture has nurtured life-long friendships, NGA Badges and Apprenticeships have provided real world experiences, connections to mentors, and perhaps most importantly: a path for Acton learners to find a calling and change the world... when you see all of that culminate, you're reminded of why all the struggles along the way are well worth it.
Laura Sandefer defines "joy" as something beyond being "happy" in a moment. Like the Sanskrit word "anand," joy is much deeper than momentary or extrinsic happiness. Joy, she says, is an intermingling of passion and truth; it's having the ability to endure struggle for a higher purpose. Joy is about looking back on a journey years later and thinking, "Wow. That wasn't easy, but we accomplished something so meaningful."
One of the greatest joys is standing at a Launchpad Graduation, honoring the journey of a founding learner. And although I can't recreate that feeling for you, here's a fun, 10-min highlight video of our THA 2024 Graduation! ENJOY!
Grateful to the Warriors and parents who left those footprints on the sands of time for others to follow.
What's our graduate up to? Pruthviraj is currently attending UT Austin, preparing to be an Organizational Psychologist, of which he has already conducted multiple internships, earned an MBTI Practitioner credential, and worked over 100 hours in a deliberate practice, related to the field, inspired by Acton Academy's incredible Next Great Adventure program. Renowned organizational psychologist Adam Grant is not only a role model, but he also sent Pruthviraj a personal message for graduation (there's a snippet of it in the video). Pruthviraj's rooming with Janak Panchal, our first THA Graduate and his lifelong friend.
As our graduates pursue their callings, we're beyond excited to see how they will change the world.
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