Our Wildwood, Volume 52

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Wildwood Institute for Social Leadership (WISL)

(WISL) Now in its sixth year, Wildwood’s Institute for Social Leadership (WISL) operates as a collaborative consultancy that helps organizations and individuals working on social issues in Los Angeles problem-solve and strengthen their work. WISL clients primarily consist of local schools, nonprofits and social enterprises, and WISL consultants become experts on issues ranging from animal welfare to mental health/ wellness to educational equity, all based on members’ interests. As part of its Educational literacy and animal welfare projects. After coordinating a visit for students to the Annenberg PetSpace, WISL members coached elementary students on persuasive writing to aid in the pet adoption process and promote rescue and adoption. WISL is also conducting an in-depth impact study for client Marley’s Mutts about their life changing program pairing rescue dogs with incarcerated adults, and worked with Sandy Dog Rescue, an organization founded by Wildwood alumna Emma Fresco ‘17, on its website development and outreach. This school year, WISL is

Equity initiative, WISL spent two years collaborating with the of Transitional Kindergarten (TK) at Braddock Drive Elementary School, a local Title 1 LAUSD school. The weekly site-based program is filled with activities to help build the TK children’s social and emotional learning skills to better prepare them for kindergarten. Additionally, WISL has recently connected with St. Matthew’s Parish School to launch a similar program for the kindergarteners there, whose school was destroyed in the January 2025 wildfires (their temporary site is just a few blocks from our middle and upper campus). Other WISL initiatives include a focus on animal welfare. For the past two years, WISL has worked with Wildwood elementary students, as well as students from Short Avenue Elementary, on customized

taking on the challenge of studying WIldwood’s upper school cell phone policy and its impact on student life and well-being. WISL members presented Phase 1 of their research to Wildwood faculty and staff in January. Other current projects include the Junior WISL’ers pilot program, connecting Wildwood middle school students to Los Angeles nonprofit organizations, and introducing them to the Wildwood Institute Model. Looking ahead, WISL is also launching programs in the aftermath of the Los Angeles wildfires to enhance community connection, reduce stress, and improve well-being.

Operates as a collaborative consultancy that helps organizations and individuals working on social issues in Los Angeles problem solve and strengthen their work.

OWW WINTER 2025

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