“Not only did I learn a lot about how to make and interpret information from surveys, I also learned a lot about what seems to make people happy here at Watershed and around the world. This experience made me realize that being in nature and finding ways to give back to people makes me happy. It made me realize that when I’m not feeling happy, I can do things, take action, to change that.”

– Harry, 8th grade

Students began to lay the groundwork for completing their survey and report early in the trimester! Throughout their humanities (Project Happiness) and science (Transformations of Thinking and Self) expeditions, students explored different themes connected to happiness, including nature, play, helping others, trust, health, sustainability, and happiness around the world (different cultural concepts related to happiness). Students also completed "Happiness Actions" using Action for Happiness calendars, read and reflected on Rick Hanson's Hardwiring Happiness, and gave presentations on "The Data of Happiness" (interpreting Our World in Data's Happiness and Life Satisfaction reporting). 

As we began to think about our own survey, we examined the World Happiness Report, discussing elements of the report that we would like to incorporate in our own survey/reporting. Students also met with Shay Castle, Editor-in-Chief for Boulder Weekly, who has written several stories about the results of life satisfaction surveys in Boulder County (including this one!). Students began to brainstorm survey categories and received great tips and feedback from Shay. 

We were then fortunate to partner with Dr. Rosalinde Kaiser and Dr. Alicia Sepulveda from the University of Colorado, Boulder's Center for Healthy Mind and Mood. Drs. Kaiser and Sepulveda supported the students in collaboratively defining happiness and led brainstorming sessions on how the following categories relate to happiness: biology and activity; beliefs and thoughts; self and others; feelings and resilience. 

They guided students in defining their priorities for survey topics as well as survey design. Based on student-generated survey statements and priorities, Drs. Kaiser and Sepulveda drafted a survey for the class to further edit and finalize. Students shared their survey with both Watershed students and staff. 

After our survey closed, Drs. Kaiser and Sepulveda also led the students through analyzing their data using accepted social science research methods. In pairs, students focused their reporting around eight different hypotheses, culminating in the final report that was released to the community on March 20 - the International Day of Happiness. 

I hope to continue this project in the future, and would love to build in an aspect of international collaboration with Fulbright connections in Finland and India!