The Art of the Imperfect Living
The Art of Imperfect Living invites students to explore how meaning and purpose can be intentionally designed, even through moments of uncertainty and failure. Drawing from Designing Your Life and The Power of Meaning, this one-week program helps students develop reflective and practical skills for building a fulfilling life. Through journaling, storytelling, and design challenges, learners will prototype new ways of thinking about their choices, values, and personal definitions of success.
Students will apply design-thinking tools (reframing, ideation, and prototyping) to their own lives and connect these to Smith’s four pillars of meaning: belonging, purpose, transcendence, and storytelling. The course culminates in a final “Imperfect Gallery,” where students share a creative artifact or reflection demonstrating how they’ve redefined imperfection as part of a meaningful life.
Eligible Grades：Grades 9-12
Program Duration: February 9 to 13, 2026 9:00AM-3:30PM
Lead Teacher: Alfonso Rivera / Secondary School Individuals and Societies Teacher