The Sconi

Stanley, Wis. - Aspirus Stanley Hospital has announced its support for Greenwood Elementary School's social-emotional learning (SEL) initiatives through a $5,000 Community Health Improvement Grant. The grant will fund the implementation of the Second Step program for students in grades 4K through 6.

Second Step is a research-based SEL program that helps children develop skills to manage emotions, build positive relationships, and make responsible decisions. It focuses on promoting self-regulation and emotional well-being before adolescence to lay a foundation for lifelong resilience.

"Too often, we see interventions targeted only at high school students," said Deenah King, Community Health Improvement Specialist with Aspirus Health. "We believe in supporting students early when foundational behaviors and responses are forming and by investing in Greenwood’s youngest learners, we’re helping them build the tools they need to meet life’s challenges with confidence and care."

The funding from Aspirus Stanley Hospital will cover both in-school classroom kits and out-of-school kits. This ensures that the program extends beyond the classroom into after-school environments, providing consistent messaging and learning across settings. The initiative aims to impact not only the current 177 students enrolled at Greenwood Elementary but also many more in future years.

"We are thrilled to be a part of this opportunity," said Christy Zierer, Greenwood Elementary Principal. "Securing this program will have a positive impact on our students today—and well into the future. The Second Step Out-of-School Time program would allow us to expand our reach even further and support emotional development wherever our students are."

Aspirus Health is a nonprofit community-directed health system based in Wausau, Wisconsin. It serves northeastern Minnesota, northern and central Wisconsin, and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan with 18 hospitals and 130 outpatient locations.