EVIDENCE-BASED RESEARCH
Our detailed research studies, spanning months to years, with school districts including Kansas City Schools, Washington D.C. Schools, New York City PublicSchools, Los Angeles Unified School District and Arkansas Schools have shown that districts using Connect with Kids programs experienced:
- Decrease physical and verbal aggressive behaviors among students
- Decrease likelihood of students using drugs and alcohol
- Increase positive social and emotional behaviors among students
- Improved communication among students, teachers and parents
These results have led to Connect with Kids being recognized as an “Effective Producer of Programs” by the U.S. Department of Education’s What Works Clearinghouse (IES-WWC), a trusted source of scientific evidence on educational programs. Additionally, we are listed on the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Registry of Evidence- Based Programs and Practices (NREPP) and the New York Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS). We have also been awarded a multimillion-dollar Education and Innovation Research (EIR) grant from the U.S. Department of Education in 2022, specifically aimed at expanding social and emotional wellness and inclusion post-Covid.
CWK develops all classroom materials with these accepted program standards:
- Allow students to gain, evaluate and present complex information, ideas and evidence through listening and speaking
- Encourage academic discussion in one-on-one, small-group and whole-class settings, in which students collaborate, build understanding and solve problems
- Provide opportunities for students to grow vocabularies through a mix of conversation, direct instruction and reading
- Integrate technology and media in school and life for 21st-century learning
- Provide evidence-based materials that accelerate students toward career and college readiness, demonstrating usability and efficacy with a full range of students
OUR METHODOLOGIES
Through the Art of Storytelling and Mutual Aid Methodology, we inspire positive behavior and motivate social action using a peer-to-peer production model. This allows students and adults to connect through the power of real-life, on-screen stories, which is why we say that the Medium Reinforces the Message.
StoryTruths strategy
We prioritize the deeper truths and transformative messages within the personal narratives. We inspire viewers to take action and start each production by envisioning the change we seek to inspire.
Storytelling
Experts call it “see-feel-change,” an approach that fuels action by sparking emotion and using the power of storytelling and peer-to-peer connections to create powerful, heartfelt associations.
Mutual Aid Methodology
Mutual Aid recognizes the power of one’s peer group as a vehicle for solving common problems. The peer group provides a forum for trying out new behaviors; giving and receiving feedback; providing positive support; and learning to help and support others through the aid of a trusted adult. There is something special in hearing others articulate similar feelings and experiences. Through Mutual Aid, the audience discovers that they are not alone in their thoughts, feelings and emotions, which is sometimes referred to as the “strength in numbers” phenomenon.
The Medium Reinforces the Message
Through the power of video and technology, students, parents and educators learn at an emotional and intellectual level that provides a greater opportunity for positive behavior change. Research shows that children and adults who emotionally connect with an experience are more likely to make life-long behavioral change than those who just received information about that experience. Video is an emotional medium and an excellent vehicle for allowing students to connect to the experience of another person.
