King Grant Award to Benefit Floyd County Schools

Radford University Chair and Professor of Counselor Education Alan Forrest and Assistant Professor Wally Scott have received $5,000 from the King Foundation for the grant “Social Emotional Learning Skills: Building Inner Resiliency for Teachers and Students.”

The funds will support research and education in target areas of Floyd County.

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) is an evidence-based approach to education that integrates academic, emotional and social dimensions of learning, improving school and life outcomes.

“Historically, Floyd County has been an under-served population within the New River Valley. There are numerous identified needs such as bullying, truancy, emotional problems, academic achievement concerns, alcohol and drug issues for students that frequently go unaddressed,” Forrest wrote in the grant announcement. “The target audience is teachers, students, counselors, and school administrators – specifically the principal. Research has indicated that the most successful SEL programming in schools results from first teachers and other school personnel being trained, followed by implementation of the program to students.”

Students selected for the SEL group will be from an estimated 153 eighth grade students who will be making the transition to ninth grade at Floyd County High School. Approximately 306 teachers and counselors from those same grade levels will participate.  The groups are facilitated by adjunct counselor education faculty member Joe Klein.

The King Grant supports direct mental health interventions and professional development training in areas related to mental health by RU faculty members in collaboration with community partners.