4 Ways to Make Your Case for Adult Social and Emotional Learning
By: Julia Rugg, CEO, Wings for Kids
Picture this: Your teachers and afterschool staff are struggling to manage challenging behaviors, student anxiety is at an all-time high, and academic performance is suffering. You know incorporating social and emotional learning (SEL) practices into your daily routine could make a difference...
WINGS Mini-Book Festival: A Week of Inspiration & Imagination
Five days, five themes, amazing guests and a whole lot of new books
Something amazing happened at the Arthur W. Christopher Community Center last week. From November 10th-14th, Wings for Kids teamed up with the Charleston Literary Festival and Books and Beyond to bring the first Mini-Book Festival to life—and wow, did our students show up ready to learn, laugh...
WINGS 2025 Annual Report is Here!
2025 was a year we won't soon forget. 🗓️ Thanks to this community, we turned afterschool hours into something powerful—spaces where kids discovered their potential, stepped into leadership, and found a place they felt they belong. The growth we've witnessed. The joy on their faces. The ripple...
Illuminating What Matters: Celebrating Lights On Afterschool 2025
Every October, across America, afterschool programs open their doors, turn on their lights, and proudly showcase the incredible work happening every day for millions of children and families. October 23, 2025, marks the 26th annual Lights On Afterschool—and WINGS is joining the celebration!...
The Future of Learning Is Still Human
By Julia Rugg, CEO, Wings for Kids
Education is transforming before our eyes. AI-driven classrooms are personalizing learning at unprecedented scales. Charter schools are reimagining curricula and structures. Outdoor schools are taking lessons beyond four walls. Some schools now operate with morning-only or afternoon-only...
Soaring Into the 25-26 School Year: WINGS is Ready to Take Flight
It’s that time of year again! Time to print new name tags, stock the activity bins, and welcome the butterflies that come with a fresh start. At WINGS, we know each school year comes with a little bit of chaos, a lot of fun, and an endless number of opportunities to create joyful memories that...
Federal Afterschool Funds Are Coming—But At A Cost
Wings for Kids Reacts to the Release of Federal Funding for Critical Afterschool Programs We’re relieved and heartened to share that approved federal funding -- previously frozen by the Trump administration -- will be released this week. Thank you to everyone who used their voice—whether by...
What's Happening with Our Federal Funding - And Why We Need Your Voice
WINGS URGENT UPDATE 7/9/2025
On July 1st, states were set to receive federal funding that Wings for Kids and hundreds of other youth organizations across the country depend on to keep our doors open. Now, the administration has frozen that funding, leaving us and many others in an impossible position. This isn't just a...
The Quiet Storm: How One Child's Journey Shows the Power of Afterschool
By Julia Rugg, ​CEO, Wings for Kids
Some children carry storms behind their eyes. Invisible turmoil—confusion, hurt, and misunderstanding hiding beneath a surface others mistake for defiance or disinterest. These are the children who slip through cracks, who are defined by limits instead of potential, who need someone to ask not...
Why Emotional Intelligence is the Ultimate Workplace Superpower
By Jolie Logan, Chief Operating Officer
In my years leading operations across multiple nonprofit organizations, I've reviewed countless resumes highlighting technical qualifications and professional certifications. Yet time and again, the most valuable team members weren't necessarily those with the most impressive credentials—they...
Celebrating National Volunteer Month
Volunteer Spotlight: Gretchen Tate
At WINGS, our programs thrive thanks to dedicated community partners who believe in our mission. Today, we're honored to shine a spotlight on Gretchen Tate, Director of Community Service at Porter-Gaud School , whose decades-long support has created meaningful connections between high school...
My Five Months As CEO
By: Julia Rugg, CEO, Wings for Kids
My first FIVE months as CEO are wrapping up and... I'm learning a new job all over again. So, what do you do when you're newly hired? LISTEN. TALK. I have loved hearing from the many voices that make up WINGS: students, part-time and full-time staff, donors, partners, parents, board members...
Unlocking Potential in After School: How Afterschool Programs are Shaping the Workforce of Tomorrow
By Nicole Lovecchio, Chief Learning Officer, Wings for Kids
Every afternoon, after the school bell rings, something extraordinary happens in afterschool programs. Classrooms and cafeterias transform into spaces where kids build skills that go far beyond academics. These moments matter because they’re not just about filling the hours between school and...
Creating Communities of Care
A Wings for Kids SEL Day 2025 Celebration
When Alan, a fifth-grader in our afterschool program, started reminding students to be kind and caring, we knew something remarkable was happening. He would say “Do you hear your Wings Leaders talk to you like that? So we should not talk to our teammates like that. That isn’t kind.” This wasn't...
Building Tomorrow's Success Today: Why Early SEL Investment Shapes Educational Journeys
By Julia Rugg, CEO, Wings for Kids
What we nurture in a child's earliest years shouldn't fade when they enter elementary school. Yet too often, the vital social-emotional skills developed during ages 0-5 take a backseat to standardized testing and academic benchmarks. At Wings for Kids, we've learned that this creates a critical...
Wings for Kids Welcomes Two New Board Members
We are honored to welcome Max Gray and Bliss Lansing to the Wings for Kids Board of Directors! As we continue to grow and expand our impact, we look forward to their strategic guidance and support in advancing our mission of equipping children with essential social-emotional skills. Max Gray...
Helping Kids Thrive This Holiday Season with SEL
As the holiday season approaches, children face a mix of excitement, stress, and unpredictability. For kids, especially those in under-resourced communities, this time can bring unique challenges that affect their social and emotional well-being. At Wings for Kids, our expertise in...
Annual Report 2024
Flying High with Wings for Kids
Your ​generous spirit shaped a fantastic year! Thank you for being a part of our WINGS community. No matter how challenging or unpredictable a year can be, WINGS delivers. And, that's impossible for us to do without donors, friends, and fans like you. See the impact, opportunities, and activities...
Join Us For The WINGS Bring a Friend Blitz!
Calling all Wings for Kids friends, family, and supporters! 📣 Starting November 4 and running through December 13, we’re hosting the Bring a Friend Blitz! This rolling event is a unique chance to bring friends, family members, or anyone else interested in working with WINGS, volunteering, or just...
Official Press Release: Wings for Kids Receives Grant from The Cigna Group Foundation
Wings for Kids Receives $100,000 Grant from The Cigna Group Foundation to Help Address Youth Mental Health Crisis October 8, 2024 – Wings for Kids has been awarded a grant of $100,000 from The Cigna Group Foundation, the philanthropic arm of The Cigna Group, to help address the youth mental...
An Open Letter from New CEO Julia Rugg
A Message from Julia Rugg, CEO of Wings for Kids
Dear WINGS Friends and Family, I am honored and privileged to be the next CEO of Wings for Kids! My journey at WINGS started 13 years ago in the basement of a church. I was interviewed by the WINGS team and our legendary Hayes Mizell, and was immediately hooked into the WINGS flock as the team...
Preparing Students for the Future: How SEL Builds Leaders for School, Careers, and Beyond
When kids dream of becoming astronauts, artists, writers, doctors, or scientists, they often picture the excitement of the job—soaring through space, saving lives, writing the next best-seller or mega-hit, or making groundbreaking discoveries. As kids, they don’t always think about the skills...
The Missing Piece: Why Professional Development is Key to Effective SEL Implementation
In the constantly shifting landscape of education, social emotional learning (SEL) has remained a critical component of student success. Momentum has grown, though, as schools and other youth-focused programs increasingly recognize the value of positive youth development in shaping well-rounded...
Wings for Kids Receives Cigna Group Foundation Grant to Support Youth Mental Health and Social Emotional Learning
Wings for Kids is thrilled to announce our organization has been selected as a recipient of the Cigna Group Foundation’s new initiative to support youth mental health. This generous grant program, allocating $9 million to 22 youth mental health grantees over the next three years, is set to make a...
Exciting New Beginnings: Wings for Kids Expands to Fickett Elementary
As we gear up for the 2024-2025 school year, we’re buzzing with excitement about the new and familiar faces we’ll be welcoming to our afterschool programs. This year marks a special milestone as we roll out WINGS afterschool program at a brand-new site: Fickett Elementary in Atlanta, GA. We’re...
Get The Guide: 6 Ways Caregivers Can Support School Transitions
Helping Kids Adjust to New school Experiences Designed with caregivers and parents in mind, this practical guide explores strategies to help students who are making transitions to a new school, new teacher, or new grade this year. From establishing routines and planning a visit, to fostering open...
5 Reasons You'll Love Working at WINGS
Ever wondered what it’s like to have a job that makes a real difference every single day? Working at Wings for Kids might just be your perfect match. Here, it’s not just about a paycheck; it’s about changing lives and having a blast while doing it! Check out these 5 reasons why you’ll love...
Exploring Both Sides: Dedicated SEL Teachers vs. Integrated SEL in Classroom Time
In classrooms across the country, the discussion surrounding social emotional learning (SEL) often centers on how it should be delivered within schools. One commonly heard debate is: Should there be dedicated teachers for SEL initiatives or should all teachers integrate SEL into their classrooms?...
2024 Student Stories of Growth
Before & After at WINGS
success stories written by the real change-makers: our program staff Meet Zechariah: 1st Grader At William M. Boyd Elementary in Atlanta, GA When Zechariah joined WINGS as a kindergartener (two years ago), he would not talk. If you asked him a question he’d only answer by shaking his head yes or...
Inspiring Financial Literacy: Caden Harris Visits WINGS Afterschool Program
A special thank you to our partners at Cummins for sharing Caden’s work with WINGS and facilitating his visit to our program at Heritage Academy. We are so grateful to Cummins for supporting educational experiences for WINGS students. Meet Caden Meet Caden Harris, a remarkable 14-year-old...
Using Art as a Medium to Teach SEL
Art has long been recognized as a powerful tool for teaching and learning, not only in terms of creativity and self-expression but also for developing essential social emotional skills. Educators, youth workers, and parents can harness the power of art to help students improve their understanding...
A Delicious Adventure: Wings for Kids Visits da Toscano Porchetta Shop in Charleston
Recently, WINGS students took an exciting field trip into the heart of Charleston to sandwich heaven da Toscano Porchetta Shop. What awaited them was a mouth-watering experience and a unique, behind-the-scenes glimpse into the world of gastronomy, courtesy of Porchetta owner and Wings for Kids...
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Wings for Kids Soars at Beyond School Hours Conference in New Orleans
​Letting the Good times roll in the big easy! WINGS took a trip to New Orleans, Louisiana to attend, exhibit and present at the Beyond School Hours Conference hosted by Foundations, Inc. At the conference, WINGS hosted an informative workshop session which covered the essential topic of fostering...
Revealing the Facts: 5 Lesser-Known Truths of Social-Emotional Learning
It’s hard to separate fact from fiction these days. When it comes to explaining the benefits of SEL, it can feel challenging—especially as misconceptions swirl in the media and within school communities. Yet, advocating for the teaching and learning of social skills is crucial for children, now...