Nurturing the creative spirit
Larry Walter was an interesting chap. As creative minds go his was right up there, quite literally, when, in 1982, he rose to 15,000 feet in his patio chair to which he had tied 45 helium-filled weather balloons. His 45-minute flight saw him float into controlled airspace near Los Angeles International Airport causing disruption and his situation worsened when he became entangled in power lines as he began to shoot his balloons one by one with his airgun to reduce altitude. Fortunately, he was able to climb down to safety.
One could argue that Larry Walter’s creative energies were misplaced and even though he achieved a long-held ambition that the Air Force had denied due to his poor eyesight, his mind could have been put to better use. The fact is that the human being is a creative species and it is important we encourage a creative spirit in our schools as it can derive many benefits. (These do not necessarily include flying!)
Creativity brings a sense of freedom. Rules are often obsolete when we are being creative and we have permission to take risks and try new things. When we take the time and energy to develop new ideas, we learn to understand, trust and respect ourselves which, in turn, leads to better expression and articulation of our thoughts. And furthermore, we often become more confident, less stressed and more adaptable when problems come along that require a solution. At St Andrew’s, we want this creative spirit to be embedded so that it lasts a lifetime. After all, as Picasso said, ‘Every child is an artist, the problem is staying an artist when you grow up’.