Shavonne McMillan

“At Big Picture Philadelphia (BPP), we use SEL as a tool for creating schools that are safe places for self-exploration and individual and collective healing. With a student population that is 94% Black and Latinx — the majority of whom live in areas of deep poverty — we knew we needed an educational model with a holistic, strengths-based approach to learning. We do this by providing real-world and interest-based learning opportunities, keeping classrooms small, and providing the full range of mental health, case management, basic needs, self-care, and wellness supports to our students and families.”