The Compassionate Schools Project is the most comprehensive study ever undertaken of a 21st century health and wellness curriculum in an elementary or secondary school setting. Facilitating the integrated development of mind and body, the project interweaves support in academic achievement, mental fitness, health, and compassionate character. The research aims to have a major impact on children’s education nationwide in terms of academic performance, physical education, character development, and child health policies­ due to its extraordinary scale of 45 schools and 20,000 children over the project’s seven years. The project is led by the University of Virginia’s Youth-­Nex Center, Contemplative Sciences Center, and School of Education and Human Development, with support from Jefferson County Public Schools and the Louisville Metro City Government. The program is being implemented and studied in Jefferson County Public Schools. KERTIS has been an ongoing storytelling partner, bringing awareness to the program and capturing the impact on the studies.

KERTIS has been involved since the program’s launch, developing awareness pieces, and tracking program progress and impact in the classroom. We recently developed an impact presentation deck for the University, tracking 4 phases over 9 years.