
Happiest [Co-Learning] Space on Earth
The SMART Lounge is established based on over a decade of experience and deep-seated conviction that families can “have their cake and eat it too” — children can both be wildly successful and passionately happy in high school, college and life beyond. It’s not that hard or mysterious. The secret sauce is in knowing your identity, finding your purpose (early on) and loving your family (which includes friends and neighbors). The SMART Lounge enables all this in a warm yet effective and exploratory yet efficient co-learning environment...
WHY THE SMART LOUNGE
1. WELL-BEING

Journey to building a well-lived, joyful life starts early. Our members, first and foremost, become passionately happy youth. They are able to connect the dots between school and purpose, confidently embrace their identity through family and community, and boldly take steps towards bringing their most audacious dreams and cherished goals to life.
2. PURPOSE & VISION

Our members know their identity and thus know their purpose. They know their purpose and thus have visions for their future. Possessing strong purpose and vision are precursors to living a great life, one with a sense of meaning and deep contentment. Our members discover them through life-experiences at The SMART Lounge.
3. COMMUNITY

‘Belonging’ is important for teenager. It’s critical for their identity and growth. Finding healthy, positive influences are essential and shouldn’t be left to chance. The SMART Lounge not only handpicks gifted and talented teens & young adults to become members, but also provides them and their families with simultaneously stimulating and relaxing events, experiences and culture.
4. RESILIENCE

Disappointments, failures and tragedies are a part of life. Happiness comes to those who possess the social-emotional intelligence to not only turn “lemon into lemonade,” but also recover and spring back to action. The SMART Lounge provides members diverse real-world opportunities and experiences to withstand hardships and increase resilience towards life.
5. CURIOSITY

The key to making learning fun is seeding genuine curiosity. The SMART Lounge inspires and encourages members to foster, and never lose, their open and childlike curiosity. Members become interested in what’s around the corner. They keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things. Curiosity keeps leading them down new paths.
6. CREATIVITY

There are consumers, producers, and innovators. Those who have made, are making and will make an indelible impact on human history are innovators. What differentiates innovators from the rest is creativity, an essential skill that’s ever more important for the future livelihood our children. The SMART Lounge deliberately nurtures creative intelligence and spirit.
7. COURAGE

The bold willingness to always do what’s right, take calculated risks, or venture into the unknown usually requires tremendous courage. At The SMART Lounge we habituate our members to be brave and live the life of their imagination. While most people are afraid to do that, our members are fearless and courageous like that.
8. CO-LEARNING

Cognitive flexibility, complex problem solving, people management, coordinating with others, collaboration, negotiation, decision making, and willingness to help — are all future career pertinent skills according to the World Economic Forum. The projects at The SMART Lounge require cooperative, collaborative, and communicative interaction.
9. CONFIDENCE

The SMART Lounge helps members recognize and unleash their unique superpowers. Members use their gifts and talents to contribute to and complete group projects. While they learn to have high self-esteem, they also learn to be humble team players. The goal is to not only provide members certainty in their abilities, but also security in their social identity.
10. LEADERSHIP

Members at The SMART Lounge learn how to be great servant leaders through observation and practice. Every Sensei and Visioneer demonstrates servant leadership by putting the needs of the members first; helping them develop and perform as highly as possible. In turn, members practice servant leadership as they mentor newer, younger cohort members.