Montessori used the term valorization to describe the process that adolescents must go through as they develop a more mature identity and a sense of being able to succeed by their own efforts. Adolescents are in a sensitive period for developing qualities of joy, selflessness, optimism, confidence, dignity, self-discipline, initiative, independence, helpfulness, good judgment, and the ability to work with others. The three aspects 
of our Ambassadors program help students develop these qualities.

Our academic studies are connected by a theme based on the developmental characteristics of adolescents. These themes help integrate the different subject areas and make the studies relevant to the life of the student.

For example, in a previous cycle, the study theme was Changes. In science students explored energy transformations, how energy resources are converted into electricity, and the challenges and advantages of various renewable energy resources. In social studies, students learned about the Industrial Revolution in the US changed the relationship between the North and South and how innovations changed how goods were produced and used. In literature studies and seminars, students explored questions of how people affected change for African-Americans, women, immigrants, and children and how the incarceration of Japanese-American citizens during World War II, changed their views of themselves and the country. 

As part of the Ambassadors self-discovery curriculum, students practice mindfulness weekly, learning how to center themselves in the present moment and recognize what is going on in their inner world without judgment. Sixth-grade students practice advocating for themselves and taking initiative as well as reflecting on their work to figure out where they can grow as students. Seventh and eighth-grade students learn about the universal heroic journey story and compare it to their own experiences as they go through adolescence. All students learn about how their brains work and how to set and work towards goals. 

The Ambassadors students demonstrate and celebrate their accomplishments through presentations of research projects on topics of interest, group work presentations, student-led parent-teacher conferences, and a week-long trip in the spring. This past year students presented research on a variety of topics ranging from the use of zebrafish in scientific research to the ancient city of Petra in Jordan. They presented group projects in which they designed a marble rollercoaster representing key events in the American Revolution and a 3-D timeline of important events in the history of electricity and the development of the Constitution. The class also prepared for and enjoyed a trip to Philadelphia in May, where, through the Dream Flags project, they shared poems written about their dreams for the world.