Dr. Bill Damon, Director of the Stanford Center for Adolescence is quoted as saying “The biggest problem growing up today is not actually stress; it’s meaninglessness.” He goes on to write about the mental health crisis brewing amongst our youth. Nearly one in three adolescents (31.9%) will meet criteria for an anxiety disorder by the age of 18. While school is in session, high school students are the single most stressed out population in the US. Youth depression and anxiety are rising at alarming rates. In 2016 an estimated 3.1 million adolescents aged 12 to 17 in the United States had at least one major depressive episode.
By discovering what moves them, identifying needs they care about, and uncovering personal strengths, students are able to find direction and make meaningful contributions by servicing a need in their community and world.
Purpose draws from three critical areas:
What You Love - That thing you do for fun, but it might look like work to others. The thing that gives you energy and allows you to engage.
Your Strengths - What are you really good at? Not the things that get graded but the areas that provide growth opportunities.
What Moves You - What causes you to take action? Not your passions, but rather those things within you that have deep meaning for you personally.
Discovering one's purpose isn't something that students figure out when they go to college. It is a life-long quest, one in which students need the adults in their lives providing guidance and encouraging them to learn and explore more about who they are and what they have been made for.
The SNU Lab School sees project-based learning, content area learning, and social emotional learning as equally important areas of emphasis. We assess student success in each area using a mastery learning model as part of our rich legacy. As a school who values diversity of thought, equal opportunity, and is built for belonging, we invite you to come learn more about us and consider joining our growing community!