Dear friends,
Have you reviewed your growth and your wins of 2019? What an invigorating exercise it was for me. I had not written our accomplishments until now and this is the perfect opportunity to share with you Triumph Steps 2019 year in review.
We have lots to mention. I have met, built and strengthened many wonderful relationships with meaningful individuals, all of them with a big heart and a laser focus interest on the well-being of our children. I cannot wait to see what the next decade will bring to mental wellness and emotional literacy in schools. All with the contribution of this dedicated group of leaders and mental health pioneers.
Many of you may not know that for years, I have been advocating for schools to allocate time in the students’ schedule to teach them how to be happy. Experts in the field of psychology understands that happiness is a skill that can be learned. We know that schools have a captive audience for 13 years, and if equipped with the right tools, this young audience can learn to live a fulfilled life and become positive and impactful contributors to society.
Another big win was having television and radio networks feature our program, all thanks to a Children’s Trust grant. Many stations have given us the stage to bring more awareness to this very important issue. Some of the segments are found on these links: NBC, CBS, PBS, and a Spanish interview with Univision. Another honor includes the award of 2019 Business Woman of the Year in the category of Outstanding Healthcare Professional, presented by The Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce. In addition, the Miami-Dade County Public Schools selected us as the 2018-2019 Districtwide Exemplary Dade Partner Award winner.
Our mental fitness for professionals grew from our in-house lunch and learns to seminars with over 100 participants. We are now developing an online course for mental health counselors, social workers, marriage and family therapists, school counselors, educators, and other professionals.
All the fanfare was welcomed while celebrating Triumph’s personal and professional achievements; however, nothing brought us more joy than the recent incorporation of mental and emotional health education for all children grades 6-12 championed by our First Lady Casey DeSantis and the Florida Department of Education. Because of this wonderful initiative every school district in Florida will now be accountable to provide five hours a year of mental health education.
When sharing this incredible news, many are disappointed because it is only five hours a year. Let’s quickly remind everyone that just a few months ago we had zero hours assigned per year.
These five hours are a groundbreaking opportunity to start the discussion and address the current mental health crisis. It also shines a light on a long standing issue that I have been advocating for—emotional literacy as an integral part of education and of every child’s life.
Let us know your needs around mental health. We would love to be part of the solution.