In the bustling life of an elementary school where every moment is an opportunity for growth, Moler Elementary School stands out for prioritizing the emotional and social needs of its students. The school's principal, Jameica Shoultz, has spearheaded introducing the Comfortable Cafeteria program to cultivate these essential skills among young learners.

The six-week initiative, part of a broader effort by Every Moment Counts, targets primary students to promote positive communication during a time that's typically unstructured and ripe for issues—lunchtime. Principal Shoultz identified a lacuna in healthy discourse among students during this time, leading to the program's inception. "We discovered a need for this because a lot of unhealthy conversations were happening at lunchtime," Shoultz told Columbus City Schools. "We wanted to show them what healthy communication looks like and teach them how to have constructive conversations."

Amy French, the Occupational Therapist running the program, is also an educational leadership intern with the Wallace Cohort at Ashland University and Columbus City Schools. French has observed firsthand the behavioral challenges that arise during unstructured school hours. "When students develop those good relationships, it encourages them to come to school and participate every day,” according to Columbus City Schools. French reiterated the impact of positive student-adult interactions boosted by the program.

This initiative's significance is multiplied by the students' chance to practice their developing social skills with role models like former NFL player Doug Worthington from the Driven Foundation. Worthington believes in the power of his platform to inspire. "I think being my stature, I still look like I can play football, and they listen to me," he shared with CCSOH. His visits reinforce the program's goal to expose students to positive interaction models.

Programs like Comfortable Cafeteria dovetail social-emotional learning with the academic curriculum and are vital for students' overall growth. By championing social skills, Moler Elementary not only supports its students academically but also sets them up with a stronger emotional foundation for the future. Principal Shoultz's vision for her students is clear: to leave the school "better prepared for what’s ahead, " according to Columbus City Schools. With continued support, that vision is slowly materializing into the lived reality of every student at Moler.