Project Grant 20244610042885

** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** HAVING WELL-DEVELOPED SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL SKILLS CAN HELP YOUNG PEOPLE AVOID OR OVERCOME DIFFICULTIES LIKE STRUGGLES IN SCHOOL, MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, SUBSTANCE ABUSE PROBLEMS, AND GETTING INVOLVED IN VIOLENCE. HOWEVER, MANY YOUNG PEOPLE STILL LACK THESE IMPORTANT SKILLS, AND THE CHALLENGES SEEM TO HAVE GOTTEN WORSE SINCE THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. RESEARCH CLEARLY SHOWS THAT NOT HAVING STRONG SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL ABILITIES IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IS LINKED TO A RANGE OF NEGATIVE OUTCOMES THAT CAN LAST WELL INTO ADULTHOOD. ACCORDINGLY, BUILDING SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL SKILLS IN CHILDREN IN KINDERGARTEN THROUGH 5TH GRADE IS KEY TO HELPING THEM SUCCESSFULLY TRANSITION INTO THEIR TEENAGE YEARS AND ADULTHOOD.THIS PROPOSED PROJECT AIMS TO EVALUATE A NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL VERSION OF A PROGRAM CALLED SOURCES OF STRENGTH IN SIX RURAL SCHOOLS IN NORTHEAST COLORADO. THE VERSION FOR OLDER STUDENTS IS WIDELY USED ACROSS THE UNITED STATES AND HAS BEEN PROVEN EFFECTIVE IN SEVERAL RIGOROUS STUDIES AT IMPROVING ACADEMICS, SOCIAL SKILLS, AND BEHAVIOR IN TEENAGERS. THE ELEMENTARY VERSION TAKES THE SAME STRENGTHS-BASED APPROACH BUT FOCUSES ON IMPROVING SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING SKILLS IN STUDENTS AND STAFF, AS WELL AS THE OVERALL SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT.THE GOALS ARE: 1) IMPLEMENT SOURCES IN 6 REGIONAL SCHOOLS TO BUILD SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL COMPETENCE IN STUDENTS AND STAFF, CREATE POSITIVE SCHOOL CLIMATES, AND REDUCE RISKS LIKE ACADEMIC ISSUES, VIOLENCE, SUBSTANCE ABUSE, AND MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS; 2) SET UP THE NECESSARY SUPPORT SYSTEMS IN EACH SCHOOL FOR SOURCES TO BE IMPLEMENTED EFFECTIVELY AND SUSTAINED; AND 3) ASSESS THE IMPACT OF SOURCES ON SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL SKILLS, SCHOOL CLIMATE, AND RISKY BEHAVIORS, LOOKING AT DIFFERENCES ACROSS RACE, ETHNICITY, AGE, AND GENDER. RESEARCHERS WILL PROVIDE TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO HELP SCHOOLS IMPLEMENT AND SUSTAIN THE PROGRAM EFFECTIVELY THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT IN ADDITION TO THE TRAINING AND COACHING PROVIDED BY SOURCES DIRECTLY TO STAFF IN EACH PARTICIPATING SCHOOL.