Testimonials

Youth practice ways to process and handle their emotions.

he Read! Lead! Succeed! program helped children navigate through the changes of the pandemic by providing literacy-based experiences, discussions, and activities designed to foster social-emotional learning. We helped students build resiliency with our “Bounce Back” series. Children discussed forgiveness in our “Pardon Me, Please” lesson series and decided to choose hope, peace and joy during the sessions on Emotional Choices.
Most recently, students participating in the Read! Lead! Succeed! program have been active with Bullying Prevention, exploring topics such as standing up to bullying, learning empathy, and practicing positive affirmations.
Briana, a third-grade student at High Point Academy shared an example of what she learned reading and talking about the text, Bully Beans. “I always knew how important it is to help others, but sometimes I felt I couldn’t do anything. As we read different books, reading Bully Beans showed me I could make a difference just by standing up and using my voice to say ‘No’ to help my friends.”
The staff at New Hope Charities in Pahokee has also seen a shift in the attitudes of some of their students. Lorena Diaz, Program Coordinator, commented on the lesson in which all students had a chance to turn negative thoughts into positive affirmations. She pointed out how turning negative comments about themselves into positive affirmations has brought “a positive vibe” to the classrooms.
Read! Lead! Succeed! recognizes the importance of giving youth the necessary tools to see themselves in a positive light, which in turn, brings positive habits into the classroom and into their communities.