Beyond the Classroom: My Summer Externship with The Core Project and the Power of SEL + STEM

This summer, I had the incredible opportunity to complete an externship with The Core Project, a company dedicated to developing high-quality social-emotional learning (SEL) curriculum for students and educators. What began as a short-term learning experience turned into a deep dive into the powerful intersection of emotional intelligence, education, and innovation.

My work during the externship centered around three main areas:

• Researching and writing white papers on SEL best practices and implementation strategies,
• Evaluating SEL assessment tools to better understand how progress in emotional and interpersonal growth can be measured, and
• Compiling a comprehensive list of funding opportunities for schools and organizations interested in expanding their SEL programs.

Through these projects, I quickly realized that SEL is far more than just a trendy buzzword in education—it’s a transformative framework that equips students with the tools they need not only to succeed academically, but also to thrive socially and emotionally.

Grade Level and Subject Taught: 7th-8th alternative middle school, all subjects