Last Wednesday, in front of almost 400 people (including 80 who watched our virtual webcast), Journeys School graduated six seniors, sixteen 8th grade students, and twelve 5th grade students. This culmination of the tenth year of Journeys School was a good reminder of the community we live in and the potential of our graduates.
Most inspirational were the six speeches by the 12th grade students (watch video). Diverse in topic and representative of the individual students, each spoke about living true to themselves and how to make a positive difference in the world. It was clear that strong academics, the importance of community and independence were all critical roles in these student’s lives. Graduation however, was only the epicenter of a whirlwind of events.
Each level of the school had a portfolio presentation. These portfolios represented the end of a year of work in all the disciplines of study. At the middle school and high school, all student portfolios are electronic and can be tracked from year to year – a small example of the importance of technology at Journeys School. Outside of these presentations (and of course high school finals) were community events such as the annual Vogel Hill Hike, closing day journeys to the national park, and talent shows. Most poignant was the final Tuesday, where both laughter and tears indicated the powerful nature of our learning community. Extraordinary learning happens when students love the place where they learn. This is Journeys School – our tenth year.