My Discovery Destination!

by Meagan Waite, Assistant Director - My Discovery Destination! The first day of April is known around the world as April Fool’s Day. While no one can pinpoint the origin with exact accuracy, it is widely accepted globally that this is the day to try to “pull one over” (within reason, of course!) on your friends, family members, and coworkers. Virtuous, clean pranks can be amusing for everyone, and we are all about having a good time!   But April also has a serious side. Did you know it’s also Family Strengthening (a.k.a. Child Abuse Prevention) Month? Strong families are an important protective factor to prevent child abuse. Spending quality time as a family plays an important role in child abuse prevention because it promotes family bonding and attachment. My Discovery Destination! is working with the Utah Department of Human Services Office of Child and Family Services to collaborate on a special Discovery Hunt to honor the month. You can find it by downloading the Goosechase Ap...

  by Sharilee Griffiths, Director, and Meagan Waite, Assistant Director - My Discovery Destination! No, that is not a typo in the title. SEL is actually an acronym that stands for social-emotional learning. According to National University, “Social emotional learning (SEL) is a methodology that helps students of all ages to better comprehend their emotions, to feel those emotions fully, and demonstrate empathy for others” ( https://bit.ly/3M9Qs1M ). And, it is important because it increases kindness and empathy while reducing depression and stress among students ( https://edut.to/3IMjQct ).  SEL is an integral part of human development. It is the process through which all children and adults develop the knowledge, skills, self-awareness, attitudes and personal well-being to acquire and apply the emotional competencies that help them thrive. It helps young people to develop healthy identities, manage emotions and achieve personal and collective goals, feel and show empathy for ...