How Can Responsibility be Taught to Teens?

The Premise:

Responsibility cannot be taught by instruction, but rather, by experience.

We coined this pithy quotation as the seed of our Heroes' Academy program. Other favorite quotations are:

A hero is someone who understands the responsibility that comes with his freedom.- Bob Dylan 

It is not only for what we do that we are held responsible, but also for what we do not do.- Moliere

A Teen Program that Develops Responsibility

The Heroes' Academy is about creating an unforgettable experience that empowers a teen's sense of autonomy and yet allows them to become responsible and ethical leaders in a cohesive group. Historically, a fourteen year old was expected to begin adulthood as an apprentice craftsperson, a squire for a knight, or to learn the family trade. It is a turning point where the teen craves responsibility, leadership, and status.

With that turning point as our vision, this Heroes' Academy season focuses on:

Leadership | Integrity | Conflict Resolution

The Heroes' Academy is a live-action roleplaying game for teens where the participants do not play characters. They are themselves. Yes, the plot and scenarios - called "missions" - are planned and staged, but they are intense experiences that teach leadership, integrity, conflict resolution, teamwork, responsibility, planning, communication, and many other life skills.

Why Larps are the Perfect Tool

By placing students in intense situations within the safety and fun of an immersive live-action roleplaying game, young adults are challenged to rise to an exciting, positive, and deeply fulfilling new role in their lives. Leadership - serving those under your charge - requires the sacrifice of pride. Integrity - the synthesis of honesty and honor - requires the sacrifice of selfishness. Conflict resolution - creating win-win solutions - requires the sacrifice of bias. 

These are the skills that teens crave, need, and yet struggle with. We believe that live-action roleplaying games are the perfect tool to allow teens to experience the burden and value of responsibility, and thereby learn how to become responsible. That is because the Heroes' Academy larp is like a parable to their own lives, yet allows them to truly experience risk, failure, vices, struggle, conflict, success, and other growing pains... without negative consequences in the real world.

Here's what makes it different

• The instructors must be genuine - uncompromising yet compassionate in their approach
• There cannot be certainty to the success or failure of the challenges
• The participants are confronted with circumstances only. It is up to them to decide how to interpret, plan, and act
• With the above points include the necessity to adapt the plot to the direction the participants take it without any "deus ex machina" resolution, nor the inability to find success from failure

Join us as we seek to develop future heroes.