About the Be the Peace - Be the Hope platform
OUR MISSION
We provide underserved, low-income, minority students (including new immigrants and refugees) and their teachers the social and emotional learning and character-building workshops/in-class programs to develop competencies that allow them to increase their well-being and academic performance and become contributing members of the community.
Competencies include self-management, self-reliance, healthy relationships, responsible decision-making, and leadership.
Since 2015, we have been seeking to address the negative social, emotional, and environmental factors that have impacted students throughout Houston in low-income, under-served and at-risk communities and that have continued to contribute to their trauma, disengagement, delinquency, and academic failure.
WHY ARE WE COMMITTED TO SERVE?
Today, our students face many challenges, are hurting and struggling. These young students usually do not have the skills to deal with these challenges, including problems at home such as lack of resources or support, isolation, abuse, to challenges at schools such as isolation, bullying, racial inequity, academic challenges (finding time to study, understanding course content and maintaining a high degree of motivation), structural violence, …etc.. They are overwhelmed by the emotions generated by these challenges.
The Be the Peace - Be the Hope platform and programs provide these skills to students ages 7 to 22 and their teachers. The results are changed lives that domino
into the family and often through many at the school and in the community.
STUDENT OUTCOMES & INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICES
INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICES
Our SEL evidence-based curriculum
- is aligned with the CASEL (Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning) nomenclature and practices and Harvard-based SEL research,
- as well as the TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills),
- using a PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Support) approach,
- integrates positive character traits, including courage, creativity, trustworthiness, integrity, respect, responsibility, accountability, fairness, caring, kindness, empathy, compassion, generosity, patience, gratitude, good citizenship, and compassionate leadership,
- and is paired with artistic and therapeutic partnerships.
It is aiding students and teachers in
- increasing their well-being,
- building their strengths, values, and character,
- gaining sustainable social and emotional skills,
- regaining hope in the future,
- and building supportive and safer communities, including through student-led projects.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
Our curriculum rooted in neuroscience, mindfulness, healing arts, positive psychology, emotional intelligence, and post-traumatic growth uses targeted activities to aid
Students
- Feeling supported and connected through our different platforms (virtual (live) classes, community projects, SEL App, etc.); Actively participating and engaging; Feeling less stressed after implementing the tools/resources shared with them; Improving their relationships at home and at school (virtually or not) using some of the Non-Violent Communication tools we are teaching them; Using time-management tools effectively and feeling more motivated to get their school work done; Feeling better at managing their emotions; Experiencing increased resilience; Having a positive experience with the community arts and technology projects they will co-create;
Teachers
- Feeling more confident in their ability to support and engage with their students in non-traditional ways; Feeling more supported with the self-care tools and the Social and emotional learning teaching toolkit we share with them; Supporting the community students project, and encouraging their students to participate.
Through the Be the Peace - Be the Hope Social and Emotional Learning platform, it is possible to give our at-risk, low-income, minority students and their teachers the tools to achieve better academic success, safer communities and build their sense of self & belonging. We truly hope you will support these fantastic programs to help us create positive change that will truly change lives.
Who We Are
Many Faces, One Hope
Be the Peace – Be the Hope, our Social and Emotional Learning Healing Arts International platform is led and supported by:
1- An international team of educators, therapists, mindfulness experts, artists, social workers, and community advocates.
2- Decades of combined experience in the educational, healing arts, mindfulness, self-development, and community development fields.
3- A collective of prominent Houston and International organizations including NGOs; Cultural Institutions; Community and Artistic non-profits, Private Foundations and Institutions.
Through the efforts of Karine Parker, The Texan-French Alliance for the Arts (TFAA) Executive and Program Director and Be the Peace - Be the Hope Founder, TFAA is a founding partner of Be the Peace – Be the Hope.
Heartfelt Thanks
To Our Valued Supporters
Whether you help through monetary donations, volunteering your time, or spreading our mission through word-of-mouth, thank you. We couldn't accomplish our goals without the help of supporters like you.
It is possible to give our students the tools to achieve better academic success, safer communities and build their sense of self. Your support of these fantastic program help us create positive change that truly changes the lives of students and teachers alike.
Donate Now
Your support of our Social and Emotional Learning Healing Arts platform will make an immense difference
- to the at-risk, low-income, minority students and their teachers in the Greater Houston communities
With your support, we will:
- Buy art supplies for the healing arts workshops
- Train educators, mentors and therapists so that they implement the program in more schools.
- Implement life-changing workshops
- Document the stories to empower the students and teachers even more
- Assess learning and outcomes. The methods we employ are both qualitative and quantitative and they include: surveys, observations, videos, photos, and testimonials from students, teachers, facilitators, and coordinators
Your generosity will allow us to continue to improve the life of under-served, vulnerable and at-risk youth.
