[Winona Post, 1/9/17]

When Samantha Wagner and her colleagues at the Winona Area Learning Center watched the documentary “Paper Tigers,” their first thought was: “That’s our school.”

The film traces a big change in a small town, Walla Walla, Wash., where the community capitalized on new science to help turn around the lives of struggling students.

When Winona State University (WSU) Professor Ruth Charles gave a presentation on that science in Winona, a girl in the audience exclaimed: “Me! This is me!”

After using that science to change up everything from early childhood education to juvenile justice, Walla Walla saw a 33 percent drop in domestic violence, a 59 percent drop in youth suicide attempts, and a 62 percent drive in high school dropouts, according to the film and its follow-up documentary, “Resilience.” Both are playing in Winona in the coming weeks.

The film and Charles’ presentation focused on recent research on how childhood trauma affects teens’ brain development and their wellbeing throughout their lives. From substance abuse to graduation rates, that science seems to explain a lot and promises strategies for fixing seemingly intractable problems. Numerous Winona area educators, social workers, criminal justice officials, and mental health providers — and their colleagues across the U.S. — are focusing on it and looking for ways to mimic Walla Walla’s success.

To continue reading this article, click HERE.