Our program equips students with the skills necessary to build healthy relationships, manage stress, improve focus, academic performance, and reduce disruptive behavior. These are the skills needed to teach a generation of kids how to be really good friends.
Get Your Students' Journey Started With Friendzy
Get Your Students' Journey Started With Friendzy
Our program equips students with the skills necessary to build healthy relationships, manage stress, improve focus, academic performance, and reduce disruptive behavior. These are the skills needed to teach a generation of kids how to be really good friends.
Transforming School Climate for Friendzy
3rd-5th Grade Students
Schools face significant challenges in creating a positive climate that fosters safety, trust, and connection—especially for 3rd-5th graders navigating critical stages of social and emotional growth (Erden, 2023; Ismail et al., 2023). To address these issues, Friendzy schools utilize the Insights Climate Culture Assessment to identify strengths and areas for improvement in safety, fairness, belonging, and instructional support.
The program's results indicate significant transformation, including increased feelings of safety, improved perceptions of fairness, and a stronger sense of belonging. Academic engagement also grew, with students reporting more encouragement and instructional help from teachers. These data underscore the impact of intentional efforts to build connection and trust in the classroom.
Friendzy’s programs, praised by teachers for fostering kindness, compassion, and resilience, empower educators to create supportive environments where students thrive emotionally and academically. All students thrive in a positive school climate that respects individual differences and encourages active participation (Wulan & Sanjaya, 2022). Achieving this requires a holistic, long-term approach in order to create a sustainable, supportive environment (Martinsone et al., 2023). Central to this effort is the active role of teachers in establishing classrooms that foster inclusivity and connection (Brown, 2019). This impact report highlights how a focused, data-driven approach can transform school climates into spaces where students feel valued, supported, and ready to learn.
The Challenge: Creating the Most Positive School Environment Possible
Creating a positive school climate is essential for academic success, reducing disruptions, and fostering student well-being. However, many schools struggle to build a sense of safety, trust, and connection that supports holistic student development. These challenges are particularly significant for 3rd-5th grade students as they navigate critical stages of emotional and social growth.
George
5TH GRADE
Friendzy has helped me become a better friend by teaching me how to always be kind know matter what the circumstance is and to always lift each other up. Also to be respectful to everybody not just my friends.
Grace
3RD GRADE
My favorite catchphrase is Teamwork Makes The Dreamwork because it helped me want include others and work as a team.
The Solution: Climate Culture Survey and Friendzy Integration
To address these challenges, schools utilized the Insights Climate Culture Assessment (McKown, 2019), a tool designed to measure key aspects of the school environment, including safety, fairness, belonging, and instructional support. This data-driven approach highlighted strengths, such as teacher and peer relationships, and identified areas for targeted improvement.
Friendzy partnered with schools to provide programs and resources that build emotional and relational skills among students and educators. Together, they worked to foster a school culture grounded in connection, trust, and support.
Results: Data-Driven Transformation for 3rd-5th Grade Students (2021–2023)
1. Safety: Building A Supportive Environment
Students feeling safe increased by 34%, reflecting a more secure and supportive learning environment.
2. Fairness: Trusting In Each Other
Perceptions of consistent and equitable rules improved by 26%, fostering trust among students.
Diego
3RD GRADE
I think that Friendzy helped me know more about how to resolve conflict and repair friendships. It is important to be a good friend because you want people to be good friends to you, and you're gonna need a good friend at some point in your life. Whether it be when you're 9, 11, or even when you're an adult, nothing can replace a sincere, honest, and kind friend.
Emily
5TH GRADE
Friendzy makes me a better friend by helping me use kinder and nicer words.
Conclusion: Equipping Students with Skills That Matter
Through the Climate Culture Assessment and Friendzy’s targeted interventions, schools achieved measurable improvements in student well-being and academic engagement for 3rd-5th grade students. By building emotional and relational skills, educators created classrooms where students feel supported, empowered, and ready to thrive.
Friendzy’s approach not only celebrates these successes but also provides actionable insights for continuous growth, transforming schools into environments where connection and learning flourish together.
Citations:
Duckworth, A. L., Taxer, J. L., Eskreis-Winkler, L., Galla, B. M., & Gross, J. J. (2019). Self-control and academic achievement. Annual Review of Psychology, 70(1), 373–399. https://doi.org/10.1146/
Franzese, P.A. (2017). The Power of Empathy in the Classroom. Social Sciences Education eJournal.
González, A., Bernad, O., López -Teulón, M. P., Llevot, N., & Marín, R. (2021). Rural schools from its weaknesses to its strengths: Current analysis. Ehquidad Revista Internacional de Políticas de Bienestar y Trabajo Social, (15), 135–160. https://doi.org/10.15257/
McKown, C. (2017). Social-emotional assessment, performance, and standards. Pp. 157–178 in S. M. Jones, E. Doolittle, & S. McLanahan (Eds.), The future of children: Special issue on social-emotional learning. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs and the Brookings Institution. doi:10.1353/foc.2017.0008
Redding, S., & Walberg, H.J. (2012). Promoting Learning in Rural Schools.
Swan, P., & Riley, P. (2015). Social connection: Empathy and mentalization for teachers. Pastoral Care in Education, 33(4), 220–233. https://doi.org/10.1080/
3. Belonging: Where They're Supposed To Be
Relationships strengthened significantly, with:
- A 15% increase in students feeling cared for by their teachers.
- A 22% rise in students feeling supported by peers.
4. Academic Support: Teachers Are Here To Help
Students reported greater encouragement and instructional help:
- A 24% increase in students feeling teachers actively help them learn.
- A 21% rise in students feeling encouraged by their teachers.
