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About us

The Passion Project is an integral part of life at Riverstone International School.  Grounded in the philosophy of the PYP Exhibition, this project engages, inspires and provokes.

Planning

In order to be successful, planning is essential, starting with school buy-in, parent education, and community support.

Workshops

Tools for independent learning and classes to teach skills needed for success are an important part of getting started with the Passion Project.

For more information about The Passion Project, Riverstone International School or any information contained within, we'd love to hear from you!

Contact us

 

Passion Project

 

The

Embrace your passion!  

This is the goal of The Passion Project.  

Be inspired by the work of this remarkable group of fifth grade students from Boise, Idaho, and learn how you can evoke the same passion for learning and for making school different, in the children and families that you work with.

 

Welcome to...

How finding your passion changes everything!

Quick Start Guide

You know you want to get started....but with what? In what order?  How? Fear not! All you need to do is to follow your passion! Click through the links below for the fool-proof guide to implementing The Passion Project in your community with a whole lot of...

A well-executed project needs great preparation.  Take your time!  Gather your key players (teachers, administrators, parents) and get planning.  



  • Look for your own inspiration to insure you are well-prepared to support your students on their journey.
  • Decide on guiding principles or a manifesto for your project. 
  • Decide on what workshops your kids will need so that they will have the skills to be successful.
  • Become familiar with the tech tools and print resources on this site that will aid student learning.
  • Brainstorm and contact people in your community who could be part of your Passion Tour
  • Have your students analyze their skills and set goals for the duration of the Passion Project. 
  • Share information about mentoring to gauge support from your faculty.
  • Prepare a parent meeting to share information, educate, collaborate and inform families. 
  • Share the Zen Habits method of finding your passion.
  • Begin to consider the ideas in Ship It.

When your preparations are complete, start putting your plans into action! 



  • Hold your parent meeting.  Share your vision but be open to new ideas - your parents are a wealth of information! Remember: Different is Good! The aim of the Passion Project is to Make School Different!
  • Start discussions with students on finding their passions and introduce the concept of starting with why. Continue this idea when thinking about the people you meet on the Passion Tour via the Golden Circle worksheet. 
  • Undertake your Passion Tour! Go to local businesses or arrange to have people come to you.  Ignite! 
  • Offer student workshops based on the needs of your students. Tap into the expertise within your school when looking for workshop leaders.  Think of including older students with a passion for technology, presenting, or....

Your key role is to support student learning and understanding. 



  • Establish mentors for each student to support them on their journey. 
  • Work with students on organizing, sharing, and recording their understandings.  Be open to a variety of methods: electronic or binders/notebooks/journals.
  • Guide students through reflecting on their progress. 
  • Offer weekly overviews and as students progress on their journey, gradually release this responsibility to them. 
  • Establish peer support groups so students have designated groups in which to share ideas and collaborate. 
  • Use the Ship It books to pave the way to success. 

By this stage, things should be up and running - and that includes you! This is when your job really gets busy - but lots of fun too. 



  • You will need to meet regularly with individuals and groups, look for gaps in understandings or deficiencies in skills and prepare lessons, workshops, or one-on-one sessions to support and enhance learning. 
  • Regularly blog or report home via email about The Passion Project.  Recount what is happening at school but also how things are being done and why they are being done that way.  The more you educate your families about your intentions, the more understanding and support will be generated. 
  • Check in with your mentors - do they have any questions or concerns?  Do they need any support?  Can they offer you insights from their role?
  • Check in with your parents - do they have any questions or concerns?  Do they need any support?  Can they offer you insights from their role?
  • Do your kids need further skills or help staying on track? 
  • Encourage! Encourage! Encourage! 

Now we are getting into the thick of things! 



  • Having found their passion, examined it from all angles, spoken with experts, and become familiar with why they are so throughly passionate, your kids need to start looking for ways to connect to their community through their passion.
  • "Community" could mean your class, grade level, school, school community, neighborhood, town, city, state, country, or the world! 
  • How can you connect to others through your passion? 
  • What will you do with what you know?
  • Continue to SUPPORT and SUPERVISE.

Get ready to share what you know! 



  • Setting a deadline or ShipIt date keeps us accountable. It doesn't mean you are finished.  It does mean you need to be ready to share where you are at in your journey. 
  • Think about your presentation skills and your presentation tools. The focus in on sharing your journey and spreading your passion. 
  • You could choose to have your students articulate their learning as a "Dear World" inspired message and share these at your presentation. 
  • Before your final presentation, you may wish to practice on the grade below you and seek their feedback
  • Take the stage - and be fearless!  These brave young speakers may be an inspiration. 

But wait!  There's more!  The journey does not end here - in fact, it is just the beginning! 



  • Are you going to keep pursuing your passion?
  • Has your journey sparked a new passion?
  • Do you still have plans up your sleeve related to your passion?
  • Where to next?



Let the magic continue because true passion has no expiration date. Take the time to reflect, to regroup and then begin anew! The Passion Project 2.0....

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