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Andy Wilfong, founder of Empowering Education, has advocated for Social Emotional Learning (SEL) in schools for over a decade. We spoke to him on July 14, 2020 about where he started with SEL and where the industry is headed.<\/p>\n
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SEL is integrating skills that allow you to manage life\u2019s situations.<\/p>\n
Growing up In the 1970s and 1980s, SEL programs didn\u2019t exist, so basically SEL was an unmet need. However, I feel there was much more \u201creal\u201d interaction between children growing up during this era.\u00a0 \u201cReal\u201d being children together as they communicated – instead of via social media. I think being in the same physical space allows for more intense social and emotional interactions, effectively providing more of a real-world SEL program.<\/p>\n
Parents can be the reinforcement of what is being taught in school.\u00a0 However, this involvement requires parents to understand the curriculum and believe in it.<\/p>\n
Incorporating SEL into my son\u2019s parenting and seeing the success it had in his upbringing, convinces me of the value of SEL. My son overcame his challenges in response to social emotional learning, and I believe other children can too.<\/p>\n
I believe that unless a student is healthy, both physically and mentally, academic achievement is unattainable. This is why Empowering Education\u2019s mission is to enable learning through social and emotional development. Emotional well-being is a significant prerequisite for academic achievement.<\/p>\n
In the past decade, there has been an explosion of interest in SEL. Research has documented the value of SEL programs. Similarly, schools, families, and communities are recognizing the academic success of students who undergo SEL. Therefore, federal, state, and local governments began to establish policies that consider the whole student. The educational system is finally starting to understand the importance of mental health in the social, emotional, and academic growth of students.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve been fortunate enough to be successful in my life. Looking back, my ability to be mindful has led to my success, both personally and professionally. Because I like to treat others the way I treat myself, I\u2019m able to maintain supportive relationships. Because of my ability to focus, I can accomplish my goals.<\/p>\n
I\u2019m hoping we can increase our presence in the SEL landscape, nationwide and even globally. Initially, we offered our curriculum in the Colorado area, but COVID-19 required us to adapt to distance learning. Recent updates to the curriculum will allow for marketing beyond Colorado schools, which makes me proud.<\/p>\n
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At his day job, Andy Wilfong has led Infinity Systems Engineering since 1996. Andy\u2019s leadership has earned his company the award of best Small Business in the state of Colorado in 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2012. In addition to his professional accolades, Andy acts as the Board Chairman of Empowering Education.<\/p>\n
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