Description

Eighth grade girls pictured in a mathematics class at Middle School Keoti Balak. Teachers at the school deliver CorStone's Youth First program, an integrated emotional resilience and health curriculum for grades six to eight. Youth First is a unique intervention that helps children build their resiliency, improve self-efficacy, and develop social-emotional intelligence; this work prepares them for additional programs in adolescent sexual and reproductive health. Research indicates that sStudents in the Youth First program have higher levels of social, emotional, educational, and mental well-being. Teachers report better and more friendly relationship with sStudents, sStudents ask more questions during academic classes, and share their problems with teachers more frequently. Girls especially show increased motivation and focus on academics, which is critical for marginalized populations.