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by Malavika Eby “I choose to believe we are each connected to one another, fingers of the same hand. Your progress is also my progress…So on this year’s SEL Day, I hope for one thing and one thing only: For all of you to feel happier, healthier, a part of something bigger than yourself, and supported…

By Shradha Shendge Valentine’s Day: a day that feels like an explosion of candy hearts, red roses, and pink tinsels & trimmings everywhere you go. I’ve personally found the past several Valentine’s Days to be overbearing in their commercial nature. But this year, I want to shift my focus to the true heart of this holiday:…

By Marion Goldstein, Ed.D., Director of Strategic Partnerships, Vivensity (Originally published by SEL4NJ) Until recently, most school-based efforts around Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) were directed toward pre-school and the elementary grades. With anxiety, depression, and other signs of distress reaching crisis levels among older students, the urgent need for schools to promote SEL across all grade levels has…

By Jai Relan I turned 16 a couple of weeks ago and while going through the painstaking process of updating my age on every platform I have a presence on, I had a disconcerting eureka moment—I take a lot of pride in my ‘young’ age. For example, in my own eyes, my achievements are less impressive…

By Sarah Ungerer Tumpeng is my all-time favorite meal. It is a dish that includes a cone-shaped mountain of yellow rice with a variety of Indonesian entrées surrounding its base. The rich flavors of this food definitely contributes to my obsession; however, the biggest reason that I appreciate it is because of the memories associated with…

By Shradha Shendge Did you ever have that one comfort show that played a huge role in your childhood? Throughout elementary school, I was a certified PBS Kids and Disney Channel fan. Characters like Elmo, Arthur, and Curious George shaped my childhood more than I realized, and it is interesting to think about this in retrospect.…

By Malavika Eby Hey there! It’s time to check in with yourself. Here are some questions—  Answer them in your head, I’ll do them too, and we’ll see how we do! What’s your favorite color, in general and in clothing? How long can you stay in a social setting before your energy runs out?…

By Sarah Ungerer What’s your favorite way to relax? Perhaps you’re a coffee drinker who loves to sit by the largest window of a cafe and read a good book. Maybe you like to turn on your Nintendo Switch and race your way to first place on Mario Kart. Or, like most people, it’s…

By Sarah Ungerer When we set goals for ourselves, it’s always easy to visualize the reward at the end of the road. We’ve all been there before–it feels so good to accomplish what we set forth to conquer. But why? What causes this pride and makes our achievements worth celebrating? Whether it’s New Year’s…

By Malavika Eby This September 5th, as we commemorate International Day of Charity, let’s reflect on how we can give to those in need, in ways both big and small.  When you think of charity, what usually comes to mind? I think of soup drives, donation boxes, Goodwill... you get the idea. So with…

By Ritvi Ranka With National Women’s Equality Day (8/26) right around the corner, I wanted to dissect one of the biggest events in Women’s History: the passing of the 19th Amendment. On May 21, 1919, the 19th Amendment of the Constitution was passed, which granted the right to vote regardless of one’s gender. Prior…