ABOUT US
Rooted in Resilience is a pilot project funded by the American Academy of Pediatrics to nurture tomorrow’s leaders. Our mission is to cultivate life-long, positive coping skills to help all children reach their full potential.
In order to do so, we partnered with Verbum Dei Jesuit High School, a private, Catholic, all-boys college preparatory school located in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. Together, with the assistance of Verbum Dei and other community partners, we lead interactive resiliency training sessions to equip 11th grade students with the skills and mindset needed to navigate challenges effectively and thrive in the face of adversity.
TARGET POPULATION
Our target population is 11th grade students at Verbum Dei Jesuit High School. The 11th grade class consists of 67 male students of varying racial and ethnic minority backgrounds. Student meet the low income eligibility requirements set forth by Cristo Rey Network (e.g., income cap based on family size: $69,090 for 3 members, $83,250 for 4 members, and $97,410 for 5 members).
Eleventh grade marks a critical stage in a child’s development with the start of the transition from adolescence to young adulthood. At this stage, students face a variety of new challenges and stressors, which may include adjusting to changes at home, developing personal identity, managing new relationships, meeting high academic expectations, and navigating the college application process. Thus, it is imperative to teach 11th grade students resiliency skills to help them better manage their stress in a healthy and productive way.
