This story originally appeared in the November 2023 issue of The Red Cent and is reprinted with permission.  If you are a graduate of Grand Forks Public Schools and would like to receive The Red Cent – as well as membership into the alumni network – click here.

After a 2021 student survey showed that many of the students at Grand Forks’ Winship Elementary struggled to “identify positive feelings,” Multilingual (ML) Teacher Christine Dewey made it her mission to bring the school’s motto to “Be the Light” to the hands and hearts of its children.  Knowing that community and social engagement are major drivers for positive feelings, Christine applied for a mini grant from the Grand Forks Foundation for Education so as to bus her students around town for volunteer activities.

Now, two years later, Be the Light has grown to be a whole-school, year-round program.  Classes sign up to regularly walk to the nearby St. Anne’s Living Center to share smiles with the residents, take on neighborhood cleanup activities, and act as overall good stewards of the community.  “Educating academics is a huge priority, but building a whole child is so much bigger than just math or just reading,” Christine said. “Giving back, making connections, being kind, spreading joy is a human thing that is in all of us. But if we don’t tap into that or teach that, teach how to give back, sometimes it can get lost.”

Learn more about Be the Light and Winship Elementary’s culture of care in a brief interview with Christine:

What sparked Be the Light?  

We have so much greatness happening within our school, and I wanted opportunities to help out in our community and spread that greatness. Giving back and being of service is something that, at times, needs to be taught – and once done or given the opportunity, students and adults learn so much from the experiences such as empathy, and concern for others, recognize strengths and express gratitude to others.  Positive feelings build students’ overall mental health, attitude and mindset.  Also, as an ML teacher we have over 20 countries represented at my school and over 12 different languages, so the “experiences” bring language to life.  Hands-on experiences make language connectable and concrete for our ML students.  It is an opportunity for others to understand how truly diverse our community is, gives community members positive experiences with students of diversity, allows our students to engage in community services they might not have experiences with.

A school engagement survey in 2021-2022 showed that students needed skill building in Identifying Positive Feelings and Social Awareness.  How has Be the Light supported that skill building?

Based on our school engagement survey data, it was determined that our students needed skill building in two areas: identifying positive feelings and social awareness.   We made a plan to build skills in the classroom through class meetings, gratitude journals, and counseling lessons – and I felt like when you give back or do good for others we internally feel good.  Social awareness is developed when we demonstrate empathy and concern for others, recognize strengths and express gratitude to others.  Positive feelings build students’ overall mental health, attitude and mindset. 

What have been some of your favorite memories of Be the Light?

Some of my favorite memories are the relationships made, especially with our St. Anne’s friends. The students look forward to going to St. Anne’s, and the residents look forward to seeing our students. Our music teacher takes classes over and the giggles and laughter are heartwarming. Last year our 4th graders did a “Minute to Win It” event with residents. We started a walking moai with St. Anne’s on Wednesdays; we walk around the block for fresh air, conversation and to move our bodies. We have also loaded food with the Northland Rescue Mission backpack program, and handed out hot chocolate to parents when they dropped off students.  There is just so much joy giving back.

When I initially planned out this mini grant I didn’t realize St. Anne’s was so close, so we really made a connection with the residents and staff and now we are continuing our journey with them. We have at least one class go each week and do different things: cleaned out their garden, rake leaves, read with residents, and play cards and games.  Also, the residents came to our end-of-the-year kindergarten graduation and Welcoming Winship end-of-the-year event.

Additionally, one of my favorite events is our Winter Caroling.  Our staff loads up a bus and we go to different student homes and sing Christmas carols or winter carols, depending on their religion.  It is such a great way to build culture and community.  The families love seeing us at their homes and we love being together as a staff.

For many of the readers of The Red Cent, Social Emotional Learning is a new concept.  What do you feel is the most important aspect of SEL for the community to understand?  What is the biggest barrier to making that aspect a reality?

Social Emotional Learning is such a huge part for not just students, but also staff, to understand and being aware of our own needs and how we handle stress.  It is so important for us as teachers to be aware when students are dysregulated, come to school hungry, and deal with trauma – all these need to be looked at, walked through and understood by the child and teachers.  It is hard to teach academics when there are so many SEL factors, and so equipping our students with tools to help them become regulated and aware when they are starting to feel dysregulated are really a vital part of our education and school day.  

Winship Elementary has always had a community focus of service and engagement.  Why is this?  Why do you feel community focus at Winship is important to students, faculty, and the community?

I think the culture we have created and continue to foster here at Winship is why we have such a community focus of service and engagement.  We value all hands in, we value and understand the need to ask for help, we value our differences and our weaknesses.  We understand the giving back helping others is what builds us up as a school and a community.  Life can get hard, school can be difficult at times, but when someone is down, there is someone to lift you up.  We want our students to understand that their strengths can be of service to others, and that it does not have to be a great big grand gesture, like raking leaves or filling bags.  Even a smile, kind words or hug are ways to shine your light and let others know you care.  I love teaching in such a diverse school with so many colleagues who believe and value families, believe in building relationships, and believe all students can learn and grow.

What would your advice be to a teacher or administrator at another school who is interested in – in your words – “showing students how their strengths can be of service to others?”

Education is so much more than just academics.  Academics are very important, but giving children the skills to regulate, treat others with kindness and respect and empathy are also extremely important, too.  In a world where there is so much hate, there is also so much LIGHT! Finding and being the light is key.  Look for the good.