Prisma parent Jenna Walker shares how a group of volunteers within the Prisma Parent Community brought to life a new kind of school trip - one that would help kids build deep connections while growing through challenges. Her daughters Hattie and Story, who attend Prisma Middle School and High School respectively, were among the first to experience it.

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The Prisma Parent Community started small - just two families who knew each other planning a trip to Costa Rica to see who might show up. Seven families ended up joining! From there, several families started organizing optional meetups in their local areas, and we began hosting lake weeks at a small fishing resort. The families that showed up to these activities became like hot coals. They were going into their own communities, spreading the love of making connections happen.

That's how the idea for Prisma Endeavors was born. We wanted to find ways for kids to have this deep social life filled with fun, connection, and growth while doing school at home. To create opportunities where kids can essentially go to summer camp in the middle of the school year just seemed like a win for everybody. As a parent of kids doing school online, I sometimes worry about them missing out on traditional school experiences. But what we're creating here isn't just matching those experiences - it's making something even better.

This September, that vision became reality when 55 learners from throughout the US and Canada came together at Club Getaway in Kent, Connecticut for five days of adventure, challenges, and friendship. Only about 20% had done any kind of multi-day Prisma meetup before, but the magic started happening almost immediately.

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Club Getaway has these incredible ropes courses, bungee jump drops, team building games where they have to solve puzzles in the forest, and a water sports park. Every day, learners did at least two adventure activities, played games on the lawn, and came together for evening events. Between adventures, they kept up with their Prisma work, bringing their virtual learning into this unique setting.

Coach James, who is a life-changing mentor coach at our high school, was instrumental in the design of the week's activities, so I asked him to describe what the kids worked on: 

The goal of our Endeavors is to build learners' skills and mindsets in three areas: independence, tenacity, and connection. Each of those carry outlooks and hands-on skills that relate directly to how learners interact with their world (ex. in school, family life, etc.), but it's often hard for them to relate something from one environment to another. For example, conquering a climbing wall that initially terrified you is great, but learners might struggle with how that same experience applies to walking into a job interview. That's why we really lean into the reflection piece at Endeavors! There's a lot of research (a David Yeager study springs to mind) on the transformative effects of "camp" on kids, and they've even shown that it has an effect that lasts well into adulthood... But only really if it's been coupled with reflection. I am convinced that we can create powerful moments that change learners' lives by changing their mindsets and building skills; we do that by creating a safe environment, pushing them outside of their comfort zones, and helping them reflect meaningfully on the experiences.

One of the highlights was our film festival, which tied perfectly into the middle school's "Behind the Scenes" learning cycle. Kids worked in groups throughout the day, taking on roles as camera operators, actors, editors, and directors to create short films about their Endeavor experience. That evening, Club Getaway rolled out a red carpet and their staff dressed in formal wear to MC an awards ceremony celebrating the films and all the creative talent on display.

Another magical moment wasn't even in our original plans. The week before the Endeavor, the kids self-organized, pitched the idea of a semi-formal dance to Coach James, and reached out to every single learner to tell them to bring dress-up clothes. They all showed up with their fancy outfits, ready to make it special.

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I'll never forget one middle school girl who had never been able to go to a dance before because it felt too overwhelming. With encouragement from her peers and coaches, she started by going in for just two minutes. She ended up staying the whole night and having an amazing time. That's the kind of growth we saw again and again.

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Between adventures, Prisma Coach James led daily leadership activities focused on independence, teamwork, growth, tenacity, and connection. In our post-Endeavor survey, learners shared powerful reflections about their experience:

"I learned that I can do hard things and get out of my comfort zone."

"I learned how to be less of a consumer and more of a giver."

"Being uncomfortable can be a good thing! And making friends is easier with good people like Prismarians."

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The stories of transformation were everywhere. One high school parent told us, "When we signed up for Prisma, I really thought it was too good to be true." Her son Will showed up not knowing anyone. By the end of the week, he had not only conquered his fear of the bungee jump but had emerged as our resident comedian, creating hilarious video interviews that had everyone in stitches during the film festival.

That's the Prisma difference. The culture is rooted in kindness and inclusion. There's an almost unwritten rule that everybody is expected to support each other. As a parent, that makes me feel like my kids are really in a safe culture.

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A handful of amazing Prisma coaches - James, Natalie, Trevor, Kristi, and Jess (Kristi and Jess are also Prisma parents!)- showed up freely giving of their time and their hearts. The high school girls were so inspired by their late-night conversations with Coach Natalie, who works at the middle school, that they decided to continue "tea time" with her online after returning home.

Any kids my daughters have met at a Prisma Parent Community meetup, afterwards I see them on Zoom calls with those same friends. The connections that start in person become part of their daily Prisma life. Sweet friendships bloom everywhere - like two middle schoolers, Leif and Ziggy, whose special nickname "Ziggy Wiggy, my boy" caught on with everyone.

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I totally selfishly built this, in partnership with Coach James, with the goal of creating a joy and connection accelerator for my own kids. Yes, I want them to be challenged and grow in different ways...But I also wanted them to feel really connected, and creating these offline experiences felt really important for them to thrive and truly feel that tangible sense of community.

When you look back at your school years, there were always these milestones - whether it was a dance, a field trip, or a sports game. I want my kids to have those many times a year, and I want them to be able to say, "I remember that, and it was awesome."

-Jenna

The Club Getaway Endeavor ran from September 29th - October 4th, 2024. Stay tuned for information about upcoming Endeavors, including our West Coast adventure at YMCA Surf Camp in San Diego this Winter!