Varsity Brands Deepens Commitment to Social and Emotional Learning as Schools Work to Reopen for the 2020-21 School Year

September 8, 2020

DALLAS/PRNewswire/ -- Varsity Brands, the market leader in team sports, school spirit and achievement recognition, today released the first three episodes of season three of the "Believe in You" video series, which the company created free-of-charge to educate students and staff about the incredible power of believing in yourself, despite the challenges and trials life may present.  Each episode is accompanied by free downloadable lesson plans and activity guides to take the conversation further and spark critical thinking. The series is hosted by Kevin Atlas, a renowned motivational speaker and the first Division 1 basketball player to play with one arm.

This resource exemplifies Varsity Brands' commitment to provide resources for school leaders, administrators and coaches to help meet the social and emotional needs of students heading back to school – an acute challenge made more pressing by COVID-19's impact on back-to-school protocols.   Most notably, the company's work in this respect includes its Impact Now initiative,  under which Varsity Brands is hosting a free webinar for school administrators, "Social & Emotional Learning Tools for Your Students," at 6pm CST today to educate them about social and emotional learning ("SEL"). Presented by Aaron Hart, co-author of several nationally recognized curriculum programs, the webinar will focus on the ways administrators can establish a solid foundation for social and emotional growth within their students and staff.  Administrators can register to attend the webinar here.

Adam Blumenfeld, CEO of Varsity Brands, stated, "As schools work to reopen for the 2020-21 school year, the social and emotional needs of students, teachers and school staff members has never been greater.  Extended periods of isolation, lack of interaction with peers, and stressful events and images have contributed to dislocation that must be addressed in order for teaching and learning to be effective. Varsity Brands understands the power of SEL tools for kids and students, and we are committed to doing what we can to help young people build resilience and other critical skills for lifelong success."

Season 3 of "Believe in You" was produced to help students navigate their current school and social climate. Over nine episodes, released in three monthly installments, the series will tackle topics including maintaining school spirit and the power of diversity and will feature people from around the country who have overcome personal challenges to accomplish the extraordinary. As an extension of the Believe in You Program, Varsity Brands has also created Student Empowerment Journals for grades 3-12 to build upon the free video series. Available for purchase here, Empowerment Journals feature daily writing prompts that focus on exploration of emotions, learned optimism, and developing a growth mindset.

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