On Tuesday, September 15, our middle school students took part in a Brave Session. Brave is a program that uses real data to help people take brave action when they're feeling scared. Since 2016, Brave has run over 550 sessions with more than 20,000 people. This time, it was our students' turn.

The session was built around the simple idea that being honest with yourself is the first step to getting braver. Students went through a series of reflective exercises designed to build self-awareness and real connections with each other. They thought about the most scared they've ever been, named their biggest fear, and identified the hardest thing they know to be true about themselves.

For Middle School Director Ms. Nora McSorley, "the goal of this program is to help boys identify their goals, the things that may be keeping them from achieving their goals and to discover what bravery means to them specifically,” she said. “Hopefully, students walked out feeling closer to their brothers, more sure of who they are as individuals and confident enough to put themselves out there.”

By the end, each student had written their own 7-Line Brave Pitch, which is a tool Brave uses to help people tell their story, practice vulnerability, and build confidence. By sharing these stories with their Delbarton brothers, the students were able to practice real growth. Brave's data from their sessions show that bravery and confidence go hand in hand. When you feel more brave, you also feel more confident.

For students, bravery can look different in different situations. “Being brave means doing the right thing when no one is watching and when others are doing something different,” McSorley explained. “It means trying new things and risking failure; being authentically you no matter what others think.”

That kind of work matters especially at the middle school level. Brave's research points to ages 11 to 13 as a critical "Fear Inflection Point," a time when fears start to shift and having the right tools makes all the difference.

At the end of the session, students walked away with a better understanding of themselves stronger bonds with their Delbarton brothers, and ways to be brave when facing challenges in school and beyond.