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Picture an everyday office space transformed into a circus, complete with decorations, displays, games, activities, food, and costumes that bring out your inner child. (The only thing missing was the animals, and that wasn’t even a concern.) This was the scene set for  our annual staff retreat. The purpose of the retreat? Simple: to focus …

🎪 Under the Big Top: Reflections on the Sources of Strength 2026 Staff Retreat 🎪 Read More »

Building Culture Starts Early At Sources of Strength, we believe school culture is everything. It’s the invisible current that shapes whether students feel safe, seen, and supported—and it starts earlier than most people think. That’s why we developed our elementary program, including classroom curriculum and adult wellbeing, as a full-scale culture-building model that transforms classrooms …

Promoting Cultures of Connection in Elementary Schools Read More »

Thriving, Not Just Surviving What if the most powerful way to prevent future harm is to build strength and protective factors early? That’s the vision behind the Sources of Strength elementary curriculum: equip students and staff not just to avoid crises but to move through difficult times with resilience and to thrive over time. In …

Wellbeing That Lasts: Protective Factors in Elementary Students Read More »

A Program That Supports the Whole School Sources of Strength’s elementary curriculum isn’t just designed for students, it’s built with adult wellness in mind. Because when we support the people teaching the curriculum, we strengthen the entire school community. As Matt Hofmeister shared, “We’re not asking adults to implement something to students, we’re inviting them …

Curriculum Not Just for Students – Staff Wellness and Adult Engagement Read More »

Growth Mindset & Restorative Practices, More Than a Buzzword It’s easy to talk about “growth mindset” or “restorative practices” but it’s much harder to implement them in ways that stick. At Sources of Strength, we knew that if we were going to help students build these values, we had to move beyond concepts and into …

Restorative Practices in Action: A Hidden Key in Increasing Belonging & Changing School Culture Read More »

Bringing the Curriculum to Your School We’ve designed the Sources of Strength elementary curriculum to be both powerful and practical– something schools can implement in a way that feels authentic and sustainable. Whether you’re starting small or going schoolwide, there’s a pathway that fits. Matt Hofmeister explained it best: “We want people to say yes …

From Discovery to Implementation – How Schools Bring This Curriculum to Life Read More »

A Rural Strategy Rooted in Strength In 2018, ThedaCare’s Community Health Needs Assessment revealed two urgent, interconnected concerns: youth mental health and substance use. Around the same time, national data painted a grim picture—more than 30% of high school students reported prolonged sadness and more than 17% had seriously considered suicide. ThedaCare leaders didn’t just …

Hope in Rural Schools: ThedaCare’s Sources of Strength Success Read More »

At Sources of Strength, we know schools are more than buildings. They are gardens of humanity. They are places where hope, help, and strength grow. As a new school year begins, our CEO, Scott LoMurray, shared a personal reflection on the power of schools and the opportunities they hold for growth, healing, and connection. We …

Blessings for a New School Year: A Reflection from Our CEO Read More »

When it comes to suicide prevention, we often think of the crucial role of crisis response.. But what happens when we focus our energy even earlier—building protective factors before someone reaches a point of crisis? That’s the heart of upstream suicide prevention, and it’s at the core of what makes Sources of Strength unique. In …

Upstream Prevention in Action: Scott LoMurray on The Hope Illuminated Podcast with Dr. Sally Spencer-Thomas Read More »

Last week, Sources of Strength COO Jarrod Hindman joined leaders from across the country in Washington, D.C. for the Upstream Suicide Prevention Working Group, a national effort convened by the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention. This in-person summit brought together policy experts, health advocates, and nonprofit leaders for a full day of collaboration and …

Sources of Strength Helps Shape National Suicide Prevention Strategy Read More »