Where rubber meets the road. Have you heard that before? It’s a saying that refers to the most important point in something. An athlete can train for a marathon for years, but the race is where rubber meets the road; it’s their moment of truth. Where rubber meets the road is an action term. My hope is that this project is your moment of truth, the most important part of your exploration of personal beliefs.

It is difficult to explore beliefs without also exploring action. We’ve talked a lot about who the Transcendentalists are and what they believed, and who we are and what we believe. The next step is for us all to take action, to do what matters rather than just talking about it. Your charge, then, is to commit conscious action in service of your beliefs.

The non-negotiables—For your topic to be approved it must:

• Be something that you care about
• Have immediate, practical steps (either full carrying out or initial steps)
• Lend itself to the service of others
• Be legal and ethical
• Be approved by your parents (and the principal if it’s controversial)