American Academy of Innovation students are turning literature into leadership through a creative, hands-on project inspired by the graphic novel “White Bird” by R.J. Palacio.

As the culminating assessment for their English Language Arts unit, students designed and built original board games aimed at teaching younger children about courage, empathy, perseverance and kindness. The project, “Light-Bringer Journeys: Games of Courage, Climate & Community,” challenged students to transform themes from the novel into interactive experiences for elementary students.

Recently, about 60 AAI students took their games to Riverside Elementary Spanish dual immersion second-graders, where they played together to spread light, hope and kindness while reinforcing the lessons they’ve learned, said AAI teacher Landon Leak.

“The students rotated through all the different games we brought; they were really into it,” he said. “This narrative provided the foundation for our project, as students were tasked with internalizing the book's core values—courage, empathy and perseverance—and "bringing the light" to others just as the characters did in the story. By designing original board games that challenge players to make kind choices and persevere through obstacles, students are demonstrating their mastery of these complex social-emotional concepts.”

The project began with students reading “White Bird,” a story of a young girl, Sara, whose survival during the Holocaust depended on the courage and compassion of those hiding her. Using the story as a foundation, students were tasked to become “light-bringers” themselves, standing up to unfairness and spreading hope in their community.

Working in teams, AAI students first brainstormed game mechanics and designed boards and game pieces focused on a journey to spread kindness. In class, they test played their games and revised them based on peer feedback. They also developed clear, age-appropriate instructions. Many games also incorporated math challenges, reinforcing interdisciplinary learning.

“It was fun to see their creations, the uniqueness and the ideas that came up. In some games, you would draw a card and have something really hopeful on it, or potentially a setback. It was cool for them to model how we all can get setbacks, but it's about finding that hope to keep going,” Leak said.

Several students drew inspiration from familiar board games, putting their own creative spin on the classics.

That’s what sixth-grader Bronson Cramer did. Combining elements of two of his childhood favorite games, Candy Land and Sorry, he designed a game where landing on certain spaces prompts players to draw a card, which encouraged positive actions, such as ‘give a high-5’ or ‘pay a compliment to someone.’ 

“I learned everyone has creative ideas, and to always be like supportive of those,” he said.

Classmate Enoch Price and his partner created a soccer-themed board game. After scoring a mini soccer ball into a goal, players roll a die to determine their next action.

“Each number had a different way to be kind, and whoever made it to the end of the board wins,” he said. “We played it with them and they really liked it.”

Enoch said he not only learned how to create a board game, but also how to be a good team member.

“First, we were coming up with a lot of ideas, but we scrapped many of those and made new ones because they weren't functional. I learned how to work as a team and part of that was learning how to make a compromise to make our game better,” he said. “I liked the hope aspect of the game. Whenever you played it, you felt good about yourself because when you compliment somebody, it makes you feel good about yourself.”

Leak said the project’s culmination also helped students to move beyond literary analysis and into leadership. 

“By teaching (second-graders) about moral courage and community through play, they are fulfilling the book’s ultimate lesson: that even in dark times, one person has the power to bring hope and kindness to others,” he said.