Our Children Are In Crisis:
Without the Basics…
Attendance
1,200,000
Estimated number of high school students who drop-out per year
Behavior
24%
The chance of a U.S. 6th grader with “poor” citizenship graduating high school
Content
67%
California 4th graders reading at a level below “proficient”
Without Social Emotional Support…
Engagement
50%
Percentage of U.S. 5th-12th grade public school students disengaged in their education
Positive Core Values
41%
Decline in empathic concern among American college students since 1982
Self-efficacy
52%
U.S. 5th-12th grade public school students not hopeful about their future
Without 21st Century Skills…
Focus
8.2 sec
Average attention span of an American 12-year-old
Higher Order Thinking
75%
Entry-level employees with inadequate critical thinking skills
Teamwork
70.3%
Employers who cite deficiencies in teamwork among high school graduates
An Intervention Is Desperately Needed…
“We have been focusing on the wrong skills and abilities in our children, and we have been using the wrong strategies to help nurture and teach those skills..”
— Paul Tough, “How Children Succeed”
SPIRIT SERIES Works…
Teaching the Basics…
Attendance
32.3%
Decreases in absenteeism during SERIES residency
Behavior
0.9%
Students dropped from SERIES for disciplinary cause
Content
29.3%
Teacher-reported avg. student improvement in ELA Anchor Standards after SERIES
Building Social Emotional Support…
Engagement
82.9%
Participating students reporting positive engagement during SERIES residencies
Positive Core Values
25.4%
Teacher-reported avg. student improvement in SEL competencies after SERIES
Self-efficacy
80.2%
Percentage of teachers reporting improved student self-efficacy after SERIES
Strengthening 21st Century Skills…
Focus
81.7%
Percentage of teachers reporting that SERIES programming elevates focus
Higher Order Thinking
24.1%
Teacher-reported increases after SERIES residencies
Teamwork
90.4%
Students reporting improved teamwork after SERIES
View the Data
60,000+
Students Served
+31%
Cognitive Skills
+29%
Social/Emotional Skills
–38%
Absenteeism
1,000+
Professional Endorsements
CARLOS WAS ALWAYS IN TROUBLE…
He was small, disruptive, a poor reader and easy prey for bullies. It took courage for him to show up at his inner-city middle school each day, let alone play Prince Siddhartha in “Buddha Walks.”
He struggled with every word. Still, day after day, Carlos stuck with it, enduring endless abuse. Even when he did master his lines, he would forget to recite them or could barely be heard. The day before the performance, he finally buckled under the pressure, hiding in the back of the auditorium, refusing to come on stage.
“Who do you want to be, Carlos?!” the SpiritCorps leader challenged him. A student cried out: “Give him a break!” The leader turned: “No, I will NOT give him a break. Carlos is a great prince! And like the prince, now he must make a great choice!”
Then…the magic. Spontaneously — maybe in recognition of his valiant efforts — the class began to chant “Car-los… Car-los…” urging him up, coaxing him past his fear and back onstage.
Their performance the next day was quite good. But, the real triumph had already been won: by embracing the least among them, an entire class had been transformed. They had experienced true compassion. The teachings of the Buddha had come to life for them all that day.
