GiveThx Student Wellbeing

GiveThx

GiveThx Student Wellbeing

GiveThx helps schools nurture positive relationships and inclusive school communities where teachers and students feel safe, valued, and connected.

Greenbrae, CA

USA

Nonprofit

The Surgeon General’s Advisory on youth mental health states “in recent years, we have seen significant increases in mental health disorders in youth, including depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation.” The Advisory further states, “[schools must] create a supportive school environment that fosters belonging through equitable classroom management, mentoring, and peer support groups that allow students to lean on each other and learn from each other’s experiences.” When students feel anxious and depressed, learning is an uphill battle. Today’s K-12 students are simultaneously more digitally connected but more isolated than ever before. Since the onset of the pandemic, young people’s mental health trends have only gotten worse, with one in three girls and one in five boys experiencing worsening feelings of social anxiety, distress, and depression. While all young people are struggling to cope, some are struggling more than others. In 2020, more than half of youth who identify as LGBTQ reported having thoughts of suicide or self-harm. Moreover, the disproportionate impacts of COVID-19 on Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities, compounded by social uprisings and a national racial reckoning, have resulted in unique levels of anxiety, trauma, and PTSD for BIPOC youth.

K-12 students who have a sense of belonging and mental health are more likely to learn. GiveThx's Student Wellbeing program equips students with the social-emotional tools, healthy relationships, and supportive learning environment they need to succeed. Teachers, who deliver the program in schools, are trained, monitored and supported by GiveThx's expert staff. Core program components include educator training, an engaging and unique digital platform, and a multi-year, student-centered curriculum. First, a school's staff receives customized training to learn about gratitude science, build their own shared gratitude practice to nurture mental health and belonging, and prepare to lead the work with students. Then teachers lead lessons, reflections, and interpersonal gratitude practice (sending digital Thx notes) with students, building a weekly habit that increases mental health, belonging, and positive behaviors, essential ingredients for engagement and academic success. All students in a school use GiveThx with the goal being for each student to feel included, valued, and able to participate without fear or need to change anything about their identity. These are the conditions that support wellbeing and, therefore, academic success. Youth who feel they belong are more engaged in school, have higher academic motivation, and achieve better grades.

GiveThx’s Student Wellbeing Program serves all K-12 students in a school but aims to make those who feel most marginalized--most unseen and unsafe--feel included, worthy, and valued. Our research shows how the GiveThx program supports black students, male students, LGBTQ students, and every student who feels isolated, anxious, and alone. Over 60% of schools using GiveThx are Title 1 and include traditionally underserved student populations. We currently serve 120 schools across seven states. Teachers recognize that many students are not succeeding academically because their emotional condition is not conducive to learning. Many simply do not care about their academic success because they do not feel they belong. These feelings of disconnection are often even stronger for BIPOC, LGBT, and other marginalized students. Teachers know that when students feel safe, valued and connected to peers that they are more likely to be successful academically. "Even though I felt like giving up, I would remember that someone told me they were proud of me, and they knew I could do it." (GiveThx student) "GiveThx is an awesome tool in our teaching practice that clearly supports social-emotional learning and academic success." (GiveThx principal)