Turn 2 Us

Student interpretations of the different feelings discussed in the workshop.

Research shows that discussing emotion/feeling related words with children from a young age creates an environment that makes them feel safe and supported. Moreover, when there are open discussions about feelings, it encourages children to practice healthy emotional expression.

Goal

The goal is to raise awareness of the different feelings an individual might experience and develop an understanding of the connection between feelings and thoughts.

Approach

Developed by the Turn 2 Us team for elementary school-aged youth, Let’s Talk About Feelings is a presentation that introduces various feelings and how feelings are connected to thoughts and behaviors.

Objectives

• Improve students’ ability to understand and articulate their emotions.
• Improve students’ ability to understand that it is okay to feel various emotions, but how we manage/express those emotions is important.
• Improve emotional regulation.

Research shows that weaving stress-reduction programs into the class curriculum can improve students' academic performance, self-esteem, concentration, and behavior problems.

Student at our Level 1 school leading a breathing exercise to encourage classmates to practice mindfulness exercises through the school day.

Goal

The goal is to help students develop stress management skills that promote effective learning and well-being beyond elementary school.

Approach

Developed by the Turn 2 Us team for elementary school-aged youth, Stress Management & Mindfulness Exercises actively engage classroom teachers and their students in mind/body exercises that promote learning and well-being. This lesson builds off Let’s Talk About Feelings as teaching coping strategies is a critical part of regulating emotions. These services are adaptable to meet the needs of a classroom and are designed to be delivered in a developmentally and age-appropriate manner.

Tools have been created for both PreK-2nd graders and 3rd-5th graders. Parents/caregivers are introduced to mind/body exercises through several psycho-education workshops to promote healthy coping skills at home and school. Independent of grade, these services only require a few minutes a day at any point during the day. It does not require rigorous training, constant follow-up by trainers, or costly materials and handouts. It is a universal concept that does not interfere with philosophy, religion, or creed.

Objectives

• Increase awareness and use of stress management/coping strategies.
• Improve emotional regulation.
• Increase concentration in the classroom.
• Increase the use of positive coping skills outside of school through in-school practices.
• Increase the social-emotional learning curriculum with mindfulness exercises during class sessions.
• Decrease challenges in transitions during school hours (i.e., between classroom periods, after lunch, etc.).

Research shows that youth with high self-esteem are more likely to have a growth mindset. This means they are more likely to cope with stressors in a positive way, take on new challenges, and learn from their mistakes.

Goal

The goal is to help students have a better understanding of confidence and self-esteem and strategies to support these in a healthy way.

Approach

Developed by the Turn 2 Us team for elementary school-aged youth, Confidence & Self-Esteem enhances the youth's understanding of confidence and self-esteem. Students are provided with examples of what a healthy sense of confidence and self-esteem looks like. Moreover, students participate in interactive activities that give them the opportunity to highlight the traits they like about themselves.

Objectives

• Increase understanding of what ‘confidence’ and ‘self-esteem’ are.
• Increase awareness of healthy ways to develop confidence and self-esteem.

Research shows that students who develop goals are likely to feel more motivated and develop their confidence as they achieve them.

Goal

The goal is to increase students' understanding of goal setting and attainment.

Approach

Developed by the Turn 2 Us team for elementary school-aged youth, Goal Setting & Goal Attainment introduces goal-setting techniques to motivate students in developing short- and long-term goals. The workshop includes an activity where students have the opportunity to develop a SMART goal and create steps to achieve it.

Objectives

• Increase students’ knowledge of SMART goals.
• Increase students’ interest in setting short- and long-term goals.

Research shows that students who learn about behaviors can develop moral reasoning skills and social perspective thinking skills.

Goal

The goal is to support students by encouraging them to think proactively and make pro-social decisions.

Approach

Developed by the Turn 2 Us team for elementary school-aged youth, Proactive & Reactive Behaviors introduces students to different scenarios and encourages them to identify which scenarios demonstrate proactive or reactive behaviors.

Objectives

• Increase students’ understanding of proactive and reactive behaviors.
• Increase students’ knowledge of healthy ways to respond to everyday challenges.
• Improve pro-social behavior.

Research shows that children who are knowledgeable about internet safety are able to identify internet threats and have a better understanding of the steps necessary to report them.

Goal

The goal is to raise awareness for students on how to safely and responsibly navigate social media platforms.

Approach

Developed by the Turn 2 Us team for elementary school-aged youth, The Real Impact of Social Media workshop is intended to bring awareness to students, caregivers, and school personnel on how to use social media platforms safely and responsibly. These services also address the impacts of cyberbullying and the proper steps to take when a student is being cyberbullied or witnesses cyberbullying.

Objectives

• Increase students' knowledge of positive use of social media.
• Decrease the risks of misusing social media platforms.
• Increase awareness of the importance of responsible behavior online to limit students' participation in cyberbullying others and offer support to peers who are experiencing cyberbullying.

Promoting pro-social behavior and a sense of community protects and enriches a child's social-emotional development. This is why T2U strives to promote pro-social behaviors and initiatives that foster a safe environment for learning and social-emotional development.

Goal

The goal is to heighten the school community's awareness of how to identify, address, and report bullying and enhance pro-social engagement.

Approach

Developed by the Turn 2 Us team for elementary school-aged youth, Anti-Bullying engages students in monthly anti-bullying/pro-social activities (rallies, poster/essay contests, classroom team-building activities). We deliver in-class workshops followed by monthly activities to engage students to better deter them from engaging in bullying behaviors. We emphasize understanding the root causes of bullying and moving away from disciplinary approaches to address it.

Objectives

• Increase students' understanding of bullying, how to address and prevent it.
• Improve staff's strategies in preventing, reducing, and addressing bullying.
• Improve evidence-based anti-bullying policies and procedures in the schools.
• Increase parental strategies to deter youth from engaging in bullying behaviors.
• Increase parental strategies to empower youth to stand up to bullies and report it.
• Increase parental strategies in encouraging pro-social engagement in school, home, and community (i.e., volunteering in school/community).

“The way I use pride to take a stand against bullying is by respect and standing up for others who have been bullied and gone through this process.”
- 5th grader in Student Government 

Youth Support: Healthy Lifestyles and Test-Readiness Skills Building 

T2U recognizes the importance of heightening students' awareness of the relationship between healthy lifestyle practices and academic/social performance. From a young age, students are exposed to academic, athletic, or artistic performance assessments (i.e., major tests, sports and arts tryouts, talent shows, school interviews). Providing students at a younger age with the tools to perform well in such stress-related events can strengthen these life skills beyond their education.

Healthy Lifestyles skit performance

Goal

The goal is to promote healthy lifestyle practices that can lead to optimal performance at school and work.

Approach

Developed by the Turn 2 Us team for elementary school-aged youth, Healthy Lifestyles & Test Readiness Skills Building aims to increase knowledge on healthy lifestyle practices and how they can improve test-taking strategies. We provide 3rd to 5th grade students with a grade-specific assembly followed by classroom workshops on healthy lifestyle practices that support students' learning and overall well-being.

The workshops include group activities such as a jeopardy game, reframing exercise, and creating a bookmark listing positive thoughts. The workshops are customized to meet the individual needs of the classrooms to reinforce content. This service is typically delivered no less than six weeks before students take state-mandated exams.

Our school data has shown an overall increase in State Exam scores and a decrease in visits to the nurses’ office the morning of State exams. 
- Principal of PS8 

Sports Youth Development League (SYDL)

Extracurricular activities positively impact students' behavior, state exam scores, attendance, classroom compliance, and social-emotional development. Participants exhibit increased self-esteem, confidence, and school connectivity.

“It builds unity and has allowed me to help students find an outlet.”
- PS115 Coach Chavez 

Goal

The goal is to promote optimal academic/social performance and social-emotional learning opportunities through structured extracurricular activities.

Approach

Developed by the Turn 2 Us team for elementary school-aged youth, our SYDL includes eight schools in Upper Manhattan. It consists of a Boys and Girls Basketball League and a Co-Ed Baseball League. The schools participate in weekly games, typically held during the last period of the day on Fridays.

To ensure we meet our program goals:

• We invite teachers to complete a student recommendation form to advise coaches on which students could most benefit from participation in our league.
• To prevent stigmatization of the targeted population, we welcome non-referred students as well.
• We ask classroom teachers to complete a brief survey on the players' level of classroom compliance and behavior during the season. Teachers may also be asked to complete a brief mental health symptoms checklist to determine if a player is in need of further support.
• Each player is engaged in goal setting and goal attainment. Players review their teacher's survey with the coach and identify 2-3 areas needing improvement or personal goals and measurable steps to obtain those goals. The card is signed by the player, parent, and teacher. Participation in the games serves as an incentive for players to reach their goals.
• A 10-week mentorship group for targeted students is held during school hours. It focuses on healthy-lifestyle practices, problem-solving skills, goal-setting/goal attainment, and leadership skills.
• Incentivized trips are held throughout the year (e.g., Yankee Stadium, Movie Theater, and Dave & Buster’s).
• Our data has shown that students enrolled in our SYDL have maintained or improved classroom compliance, social performance, and attendance.

Objectives

• Improve skills in goal setting and goal attainment.
• Increase the use of positive peer/adult relationship behaviors.
• Increase the use of healthy lifestyle practices.
• Increase the use of positive stress management skills.
• Improve classroom compliance and academic outcomes.

“It goes beyond sports and education. They feel comfortable coming up to us and talking to us about any problems they're having... The intervention track is amazing: it hits all facets of what they should be as role models and students in the building.”
- PS189 Coach Diogenes 

Goal

To promote social-emotional learning through critical thinking and leadership skills.

Approach

Developed by the Turn 2 Us team for elementary school-aged youth, we provide 4th and 5th-grade students in our sports league the opportunity to participate in our mentorship program. The in-school mentorship program is designed to develop and/or enhance youths' interpersonal and social skills. It promotes positive interactions with peers and adults, help-seeking and help-giving behaviors, and effective problem-solving strategies. While it can take place before, during, or after school, we typically run it during recess, when youth are more likely to engage in problematic, high-risk behavior or face discord.

Objectives

• Increase students’ knowledge and skills in goal setting and goal attainment.
• Increase utilization of emotional regulation and problem-solving skills.
• Increase utilization of positive peer and adult relationship behaviors.
• Increase utilization of healthy lifestyle practices, including stress management skills.