Upstream Education Inc.
Upstream Education Inc.
Middle School Educators Go Upstream as “First Responders” in Student Wellbeing
Upstream Education’s mission to make mental health a priority in schools is deeply personal. Its founder, who endured severe panic attacks at a young age, was met with teachers who did not know how to handle her distress. In high school, Upstream’s founder learned strategies to manage and regulate her anxiety. That experience led to creating the nationally recognized nonprofit to equip educators and students with tools to support their wellbeing in and out of the classroom – the same tools that saved her life.
In 2016, Upstream Education began working with nine Denver Public School teachers, impacting 125 students a week. Today, it reaches more than 70,000 students weekly across 108 schools and districts. An All Points North Foundation grant will bring social-emotional learning (SEL) tools to 12 middle school partners in Los Angeles County in California and the Denver Metro Area in Colorado. The grant support will focus on schools in under-resourced communities that traditionally suffer from access to care and the stressors associated with poverty.
Upstream’s research-grounded Tier 1 Mental Health and SEL tools will be integrated throughout the academic day to all students. Built on modules of mindfulness, positive psychology, and positive self-talk, these 5- to 10-minute universal prevention lessons permeate content classes, small groups, one-on-one, and staff meetings. Developed by teachers, the curriculum is accessible, actionable, inclusive, and also in Spanish. Upstream provides professional development and implementation support through monthly check-ins and family workshops.
As the “first responders” to student wellbeing, few educators had the tools to help students even before the COVID-19 pandemic catapulted stress and anxiety to unprecedented levels. Upstream’s school partnerships help address this gap. Upstream offers additional programs based on authentic experiences at partnering schools and students are given agency and voice through a Student Task Force that edits and proposes new tools. Additionally, the Mental Health Changemakers Fellowship provides a national community of educators committed to addressing their students’ mental health needs, free access to curriculum and coaching.
If the past is any indication, students will confidently manage stress and anxiety, and build resilience while developing stronger social-emotional skills. Educators, too, will feel support not only for their students’ wellbeing but their own.
For information: www.upstreamedu.org
Photo credit: Alexander Heller