Session #7 - Mar 2, 2024
Building a foundation of compassion

Today, the High Blocks Explore team collaborated with the High Blocks Challenge team for an insightful High Blocks Give Initiative Orientation. Our shared vision for the development and growth of both the Challenge and Explore teams revolves around creating enduring positive impacts in our communities. This involves fostering collaboration, providing essential resources, and championing social responsibility. 

At the heart of the High Blocks Give Initiative is the "Little Blocks, Big Hearts" Program, meticulously designed to instill values of kindness, empathy, and community spirit. Through engaging volunteer activities, this program aims to cultivate a sense of social responsibility and compassion in young hearts, laying the foundation for a lifetime of giving back. 

Reflecting on our recent impact at the Atlanta Contemporary Chinese Academy on February 11th, we assessed our achievements and planned for the next event. Our upcoming initiative, scheduled for April at the Atlanta Community Food Bank Hunger Action Center, will see us inspecting, sorting, and packing quality grocery donations. These efforts are crucial in preparing for distribution to nearly 700 partner agencies across Georgia, addressing the pressing issue of hunger that affects 1 in every 9 Georgians. Each child in our team is committed to reaching out to five people and collecting food donations. 

Following the inspiring High Blocks Give Initiative presentation, the High Blocks Explore team returned to their regular class setting, beginning with core value presentations. Alina shared her triumphant hike to the top of Stone Mountain, while Wesley innovatively repurposed old printer parts to create a robot. Max's gemstone game night and Ian's artistic ChatGPT portrayal of brothers enjoying milk tea showcased the diversity of their experiences. Haoyong, though on a plane to California, shared a photo of his innovative dancing robot, proving that creativity knows no bounds. 

The team then transitioned to the engaging Show & Tell session, where Alina showcased a stunning Lego bouquet, Max shared his tooth fairy's gift, Ian expressed his artistic aspirations, and Ava infused humor into the gathering by playfully manipulating ordinary pictures into comedic snapshots using Photo Booth. 

The group delved into a heartwarming book, "The Invisible Boy," emphasizing key takeaways about embracing differences and making positive impacts in others' lives. 

To conclude the session, the team dispersed to unleash their creativity through building Lego models. While it's too early to unveil the specifics of their creations, we eagerly anticipate discovering the fruits of their imaginative endeavors in future meetings. The High Blocks Explore team remains committed to nurturing young minds and contributing meaningfully to our communities through initiatives like the High Blocks Give Initiative.