Tapestry of Faith: Heeding the Call: A Program on Justicemaking for Junior High School Youth

Activity 3: If I Were a Superhero

Activity time: 15 minutes

Materials for Activity

  • Costume items and props: pieces of fabric, ties, hats, pipe cleaners, rope and string
  • Paper, pens or pencils

Description of Activity

Youth dream big about changing the world.

Announce that it is time to change the world. Explain that participants will choose what kind of superhero they would be and what they would change about the world. Say that they must create a costume, a name for their Superhero, and a Superhero Statement that includes what they stand for and how they will work to create justice in the world.

Distribute paper and pencils, and point out the costume items and props. Once all participants have a costume and a statement, invite them to share with the group.

End by discussing what it felt like to share what one stands for out loud. Do they ever feel that they are too young to work for justice? Did it feel different to announce it as a superhero? Does the act of voicing it make it more real, more concrete, regardless of one's age?

Ask youth to think about their superhero talent and how their superhero would work for justice. Ask them to think of one action their superhero would do and think of a way they could do it on a smaller scale as themselves. For example, if their superhero could sprout enough food from their fingertips to feed the entire world, they could devote two hours a week to work in a community garden that donates food to a shelter.