Unique Collaboration Fosters Social and Emotional Learning Through the Arts

NEW FAIRFIELD, Conn. & NEWTOWN, Conn. - May 3, 2019 - PRLog -- In the midst of society's epidemic of social isolation, Dylan's Wings of Change and The Spread Your Wings Project are joining forces to bring social and emotional learning through a community arts project, creating a massive pair of beautiful Angel Wings that will be installed permanently at a Wingman Middle School in Connecticut.

This pilot project, "Spread Your Wings with Wingman," unites the students of New Fairfield in the arts by painting hundreds of individual, unique canvas feathers.  New York artist Elizabeth Bryan-Jacobs will integrate the painted feathers into a beautiful, professionally completed, large-scale Angel Wing wall sculpture to be permanently installed at the town's Middle School.

Social and emotional learning (SEL) teaches children and adults to manage emotions, be kinder, more compassionate and empathetic.   It has also been proven to improve test scores and grades while reducing conduct problems and risk-taking behaviors in schools across the nation. (1)

For Ian Hockley, Founder of Dylan's Wings of Change, "There is an epidemic of social isolation in our society today, manifesting in daily headlines of violence, mass shootings and suicides. The benefits of social and emotional learning are well documented (https://casel.org/impact/). Our collaboration responds to this crisis with a project that inspires empathy and inclusion in the community.  It is a perfect fit with the mission of our Wingman youth leadership program that really had its beginning here at New Fairfield Middle School."

For Bryan-Jacobs, "We are in awe of what Ian and his team have done to honor Dylan, and are proud to pilot this event with Wingman at Fairfield Middle School. The arts are incredibly therapeutic, and we have a mutual goal of Spreading our Wings with Wingman at all Wingman locations.  We are grateful to be sharing something positive, empowering and creative with America's youth."

The Spread Your Wings Project" was founded by husband and wife artist team, Elizabeth Bryan-Jacobs and Bobby Jacobs, with a mission of sharing the healing benefits of the arts and art therapy as an uplifting response to the negativity and tragedy plaguing our nation. The couple donates all personal art sale proceeds to their non-profit.

Get involved: https://thespreadyourwingsproject.org/wingman/

Learn more about Spread Your Wings: https://thespreadyourwingsproject.org/

Learn more about Dylan's Wings of Change: www.dylanswingsofchange.org

Elizabeth Bryan-Jacobs, Founder, thespreadyourwingsproject@gmail.com

Ian Hockley, Executive Director/Founder

Info@DylansWingsOfChange.org

Dylan's Wings of Change is a foundation dedicated to the memory of Dylan Hockley, one of the first-grade victims in the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary on December 14th, 2012. Wingman, a program from DWC, is an innovative youth-led social and emotional learning program of team-bonding and trust-building activities. Wingman inspires children to be more compassionate, empathetic, courageous and inclusive young leaders. The Wingman program currently operates in 35 schools and 240 dance studios, reaching more than 25,000 children in the US, Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom.

Spread Your Wings broke all fundraising records in 2017 at Dell Children's Hospital, most recently working with the city of Las Vegas creating and installing a monumental pair of stone Angel Wings memorializing the 58 lives lost in the 10/1/17 tragedy.  Bryan-Jacobs will announce the Wingman collaboration at her upcoming art exhibition that opens May 30th at Isabella Garrucho Fine Arts in Greenwich. To view Bryan-Jacobs' art, visit www.igifineart.com.

1.    https://www.edutopia.org/blog/why-sel-essential-for-students-weissberg-durlak-domitrovich-gullotta