The purpose of SELF is to develop students’ empathy, resilience and other core social-emotional skills; help students build trusting relationships with their peers and mentors; and establish spaces where they feel safe and supported. We believe that students will benefit from challenging their assumptions about the world and each other by asking questions, having meaningful discussions, and remaining open-minded while maintaining their core values. In so doing, each cohort will develop its own identity, without the pressure of formal grading or assessment, and with every effort to play, explore, and appreciate diversity. Our goal is to help our students realize that each of them is immeasurably valuable not because of what they have achieved but because of who they are and who they can become.
The SELF program meets at a specially designated time on alternating Fridays after 6th period each week.