About the Speaker: Sue Beers
Sue Z. Beers is currently the Director of MISIC, a non-profit consortium of over seventy school districts working together to improve teaching and learning. Over four decades in education, Sue has been a teacher, coach, Director of Curriculum, author of six books for ASCD and independent consultant in the areas of literacy across the curriculum, assessment, leadership and school improvement.
About the Speaker: Valarie Pearce
Valarie Pearce is an author and an educator. She is committed to the elevation and empowerment of burgeoning leaders, through teaching social-emotional competencies. She earned her M.Ed. in curriculum development and instruction and oversees the creation of the Friendzy print and digital curriculum content, scope and sequence, and has oversight on the Friendzy Professional Development series. Valarie is an author of four children’s books and is currently working on a young adult fiction novel. As an educator Valarie believes in spreading a message of empathy and good citizenship.
About the Speaker: Scarlett Lewis
Scarlett Lewis founded the nonprofit Jesse Lewis Choose Love Movement after her son was murdered during the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy in December 2012. After his death, Scarlett became part of the solution to the issues that we’re seeing in our society—and that also caused the tragedy. She created the Movement and became an advocate for social and emotional learning (SEL) and character development that teaches children how to manage their emotions, feel connected, and have healthy relationships. Speaking across the US and internationally to diverse audiences, Scarlett urges everyone to become part of the solution. Scarlett created the Choose Love for Schools Program, a no-cost, comprehensive, lifespan, next generation SEL and character development program that teaches children and adults how to thoughtfully respond with love in any situation, handle adversity, and have courageous conversations by using the Choose Love Formula of: Courage + Gratitude + Forgiveness + Compassion-in-Action = Choosing Love. Choose Love has been extended into homes, communities, athletics, and the workplace. The programs have been accessed in all 50 states and 110 countries, reaching more than 2 million children.
About the Speaker: Katie Ross
Katie Ross is the Director of Programming at EYEJ. EYEJ: Empowering Youth, Exploring Justice, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that drives social justice reform by empowering young people to advocate for change. She oversees the management and operations of all programming for Youth Online Discussing Justice (YODJ). Youth Online Discussing Justice (YODJ) is a trauma-informed discussion that connects students in grades 6th through 12th with the necessary resources for day-to-day life social-emotional needs specifically with today’s very relevant isolation, mental health, anxiety, and healing issues desperately needed.