Fall 2022 Newsletter
OUR MISSION: Choose Creativity empowers children to develop into confident, resilient learners through an asset-based social and emotional learning curriculum.
INSTRUCTORS TRAINED: 1,382 KIDS REACHED: 24,025
WELCOME TO OUR NEW PARTNER SITES: Watkins Mill Elementary School, Montgomery Village, MD, Boys and Girls Club of Springfield, Springfield, MO, Children’s Aid After-School Program at PS 5, New York, NY, P.S 30 Wilton After-School Program, Bronx, NY
It’s a proud yet bittersweet time for our ever-evolving organization Choose Creativity. This fall marks the 10 year anniversary of the creation of the Lulu & Leo Fund. If you remember, we began as a grant-giving foundation before developing our after-school program, SuperArtist. In those early days, Marina and Kevin were trying to figure out how to communicate to others how they made it through the hell of October 25, 2012. All of this learning and exploration eventually led to the creation of the 10 Principles of Creativity.
Over time, our brand has evolved into Choose Creativity and our SuperArtist program became a Harvard reviewed whole-school curriculum which supports teachers to build social-emotional learning skills in children. What hasn’t changed is the inspiration behind it all, the beautiful teachings of creativity by Lulu and Leo. We want to thank everyone who has supported us along this journey. We couldn’t do any of it without your generosity!
Terese, our Educational Consultant, was center stage representing Choose Creativity at the Maryland Association of Elementary Principals conference to discuss how to sync climate, culture, and social-emotional learning (SEL) initiatives. She was invited to present the idea that developing a healthy belief ecology, or intrapersonal skills, is crucial to the success of any SEL program. This often overlooked area of SEL helps students understand themselves and the world around them, ultimately building empathy, openness, and a growth mindset. Learn with Creative Confidence (LwCC) is one of the only programs that addresses the belief ecology, enhancing the effectiveness of any school’s SEL strategy.
Learn with Creative Confidence continues to build momentum in the complex world of elementary education! School Counselors are showing an increased interest in implementing our curriculum. They’ve reported back that the 10 Principles have been a springboard for many meaningful discussions. For example, older students challenged the idea that they can be authentic at school, claiming they are often not allowed to do what they want. The discussion then pivoted to ways communities of people, all authentic in their own way, learn to work together. We look forward to hearing more interesting tidbits about ways the 10 Principles inspire compelling conversation!
We are so excited to welcome Sandra Benedict to the Choose Creativity team as our new Director of Development! After graduating from Rutgers University with BA’s in both Communication and English, Sandra enjoyed a successful career in enterprise sales at Adobe and Hewlett-Packard. She moved to the nonprofit arena when her children began elementary school, joining the staff of the New Jersey Marathon. Seeing firsthand the impact socio-economic status has on a child’s ability to be active, she implemented a school-based program that incentivizes exercise through play. Sandra has inspired generous individuals and entities to share their resources to further worthy missions including combating childhood obesity, freeing the wrongly imprisoned and making healthy food choices accessible to low-income households.
