Session 1: Crossing the Threshold

Dear Future Treign Up Families & Supporters,

As we wrap up this session, it’s the perfect time to pause and reflect on all that’s been happening within our Treign Up community. This newsletter is our way of celebrating the incredible journey your young Heroes have been on—filled with growth, discovery, and shared experiences. Together, we’ve faced challenges, embraced opportunities, and supported one another, and now we get to look back on the remarkable progress made.

We’re excited to share stories, shoutouts, and upcoming events that highlight the heart of what we’re building together here at Treign Up Academy. 

This Past Session:

This session has been full of meaningful moments, bringing together our learners, families, and community. The Titans spent some time making posters to cheer on Hanover High School at their football game against King William, and it was such a blast spending time together outside of school cheering on the Hawks to victory. Their enthusiasm was contagious!

The TUA moms have gotten together for two events: a dinner at Charred for just the moms to connect and bond, and a Mother/Daughter Coffee & Tea. Both were wonderful opportunities to deepen relationships and strengthen the bonds within our tribe.

And, finally, yesterday, September 26th, marked the highlight of the session with our Session 1 Exhibition of Learning. It was a proud moment for our learners, as they showcased the hard work and dedication they put into their projects over the past several weeks. With a special emphasis on their Lip Dub quest, and the development of their core skills, the exhibition truly reflected the growth, creativity, and resilience of our young heroes. Not to mention, it was completely organized and carried out by 13 Titans! When you give kids the chance to shine, it's incredible how they rise to the occasion.

Upcoming Events:

After each session, Treign Up Academy has a one-week break. Our first break runs from September 30th to October 4th, and it's a great time for both learners and families to rest, recharge, and reflect on all that’s been accomplished so far. 

If you’re considering Treign Up Academy for your child, we’d love for you to join us at our Fall Festival and Children's Business Fair on November 23rd. This is a great opportunity to meet our current families, guides, and learners and see firsthand how we operate as a close-knit community. Our Session 2 is focused on the Entrepreneurship Quest, where each learner will have the chance to not only create their own business but also to sell their goods and services. It will be a fun, family-friendly event filled with lots of things to do and we would love to have you join us!

Shoutouts and Celebrations:

• Parker and Brooks for advancing the quickest in our reading program, Lexia

• Tatum and Rebecca for an excellent Peace Talk to solve conflict

• Cora for her beautiful poetry

• Tyler for the way he can rally the troops to get things done when everything feels chaotic

• Eve for always being a generous friend

• Zoe for her critical thinking and brainstorming skills

• Koen for his love of the Word and passion for his Bible

• Finley for her diligence and drive on catching up when she had to be out sick for a few days

• Reese for her integrity and holding herself accountable when she breaks a contract rule

• Tristan for leading in new ways

• Harrison for showing everyone the art of a true apology

• The whole Titan tribe, as they have continued to grow into all God has created them to be! 

• The TUA Moms for their intentional friendship and community building. So far they have planned a dinner, attended a tea/coffee/brunch, and are planning a weekend away together. We’re blown away by what is being built here at TUA!

Family Spotlight: The Baker Family and Finley’s Journey at Treign Up Academy

"For the Baker family, the search for a place where Finley could thrive in a way that truly nurtured her creativity and independence led them down a path less traveled. They knew early on that traditional schooling wouldn’t allow Finley’s unique potential to fully blossom, especially with her natural ability to see beyond the ordinary. Her parents wanted more for her—a space where her ideas and creativity wouldn’t be constrained but encouraged to flourish. That search brought them to Treign Up Academy, a place where Finley could take charge of her own learning journey and grow unhindered.

Finley’s family fondly describes her as a "Corker," a term her grandmother lovingly uses. While they’re not exactly sure what it means, it somehow fits perfectly. Finley is imaginative, quick to generate new ideas, and fiercely independent. Her parents pray that God’s path for her remains brightly lit and that Finley follows it with joy and confidence.

Already, just after one session, they’ve seen significant growth. Finley’s confidence in how she communicates with others has noticeably increased, and she has become much more determined to handle tasks on her own. Her family is excited to see where this newfound sense of independence will lead her. They believe she’s becoming a shining example of what confidence and creativity can accomplish when nurtured properly.

As the first break approaches, the Bakers are looking forward to a family retreat in the mountains, along with a fun trip to the state fair. This time of rest and togetherness is a chance for the family to recharge and reflect on the amazing journey Finley is on at Treign Up."

We love you, Bakers, and we're so excited y'all are on this journey with us! Enjoy some pictures of Finley and her family attached below!

Mental Model/Acton Methodology Highlight:

One of the things we have really worked on learning and embracing during this first session is letting the chaos happen. Some of our best moments have come from letting things dissolve into chaos instead of stepping in as the adult in the room with the “authority” and “power”. Undoubtedly, at least ONE (but usually more) Hero gets frustrated enough to stand up and say “this isn’t working” and will rally the troops to a solution. We have spent the last year and a half thinking through and talking about this methodology and these systems while we prepared things for TUA, but it has been so incredibly affirming to watch it play out before our eyes and to see how each Titan rises to the occasion in those moments. Children are FAR more capable than adults tend to give them credit for.

Social Media/Ways to Connect

Want to see our learners in action? Check out our Instagram page, where we share stories of daily life at Treign Up—like the creative Quests our learners are tackling, Treigning Time, and more. We post a reel every Friday showcasing different aspects of TUA (here's the latest one highlighting our first Exhibition); be sure to give it a like/share and follow us to keep up with all things Treign Up Academy!

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