Strayer students participate in research study

Strayer Middle School students will be taking part in an exciting study that focuses on improving school climate and healthy technology use and emotions at school. The study, from the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence (YCEI), uses resources from its inspirED Leadership Program to support middle and high school students to create positive change in their schools and communities.

YCEI, according to its website, is developing the School Climate Walkthrough tool, an innovative, web-based measure of school climate that provides an instant reading of students’ perceptions of their school’s safety, teaching quality, environment and relationships alongside actionable next steps.

The center’s research program seeks to: (1) promote optimal learning, working, and living environments for children and adults using skill-based social and emotional learning (SEL) tools and programs; and (2) evaluate the effectiveness of these tools and programs and the mechanisms by which they have their impact.

“Anytime we can hear the voices of our students and how they experience school can be a beneficial process,” said Strayer Principal Dr. Jennifer Bubser. “Through this research, ideas for activities, lessons and projects can be developed to build positivity, and that’s the key. This gives our students ownership of their school and ways to take care of the people in it.”

Dr. Bubser and school counselor Melyce Lucchesi will review survey results with eight student leaders and receive training on the inspirED Leadership Program. From there, they will create activities to help enhance school culture.

The students – Gavin Carroll, Ethan DeAndrea, Anna and Faith Greenday, Steven Hermann, Kendall Ward-Weiner, Samuel Wilkin, and Hannah Yerger – are involved with the National Junior Honor Society or Strayer’s Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports team.

“They really wanted to do this,” Dr. Bubser said.