You Helped Children Build Interpersonal Skills—on the Playground, in the Classroom, and for Life

From the 2025-26 School Year Impact Report

For young children, learning at school doesn’t stop during recess. On the playground, they practice sharing, compromise, and conflict. And thanks to donors like you, when the going gets tough, a trained, caring adult is there to help.

Over the past year, clinical intern Isabella Hinds collaborated with school social workers to provide free counseling at Prestwood Elementary School.

Through the Clinical Intern program your support makes possible, she and seven other graduate students in social work or counseling programs offered care at public schools across the Sonoma Valley as part of their degree training.

No off-campus appointments were needed. With your support, Isabella met students where they were—literally. In small groups at playground picnic tables, she got kids to share perspectives and build skills through playful conversation.

“We have fun and do silly things, and we learn about each other,” one first-grader said.

If a student needed space for private reflection, they could move indoors to a quiet corner, and work with Isabella to name problems and feelings.

“I feel like I can be my true self with you, and I don’t worry about being left out,” a second-grader told Isabella.

Students found new ways to navigate quarrels and bond with friends. These interpersonal skills made it easier to focus on learning in the classroom, and built confidence for life.

“Students’ minds opened up to new possibilities and perspectives—they learned about who they were as people and friends,” said Isabella.

​Thank you for supporting Isabella’s work, and giving students the tools they need to thrive.

2025-2026 Impact:​
Student Wellness

• 584 elementary school counseling sessions provided
• 76% of middle and high school students visited on-campus Wellness Centers
• 89% of students receiving on-campus therapy said their mental health improved