Our Wildwood, Volume 50

Wildwood is partnering with Punahou School of Honolulu in a joint initiative to promote Social Emotional Learning (SEL) via athletics. “Social Emotional Learning is at the heart of Wildwood athletics,” said Billy DuMone, Wildwood athletics director. “Our focus is on helping student-athletes realize that success is achieved through hard work, collaboration, and being their best selves–lessons they can carry on into collegiate-level athletics and other areas of life beyond Wildwood.” The basis for this initiative is P/ATH (pathsports.org), a nonprofit organization founded by Cassidy Lichtman, a former member of the USA Volleyball Women’s National Team. P/ATH provides schools with powerful, age appropriate video lessons on relevant student athlete topics such as developing leadership, sportsmanship, and confidence, that feature professional, Olympic, and collegiate athletes. Together, Wildwood and Punahou are working towards raising funds, to be matched by the E.E. Ford Foundation, to incorporate P/ATH-produced curriculum and materials further into their respective athletics programs. “We believe that healing the divisions in our society in the long run depends on teaching young people new skills around empathy and empowerment,” Cassidy said. “The same skills that will make you a stronger athlete will also lead to greater personal success, higher self-esteem, and a more equitable society.” While other schools considered for the consortium have larger athletics programs, Wildwood’s reputation as a leader in using athletics as a means of teaching life skills is what drew interest from P/ATH, Billy said. “It’s both exciting and an honor to be a part of this initiative with Punahou and P/ATH,” Billy said, “and I’m eager to see how it can elevate our student athletes and help build the skills they need to succeed in athletics, and in life.” Paving a Better Path for Student Athletes

For more information on how to get involved, contact Gabrielle Dalmasy, Director of Major Gifts and Strategic Partnerships, at gdalmasy@wildwood.org.

OWW WINTER 2024

9