On the way to school on Dec 14, 2012, Jesse McCord Lewis stopped to write “I love you” in the frost on his mom’s car. Hours later, Jesse was senselessly murdered in his first grade classroom. He was one of the 26 victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, CT. Days prior to the tragedy, on the kitchen chalkboard at home Jesse had written a prophetic message, ‘Nurturing, Healing, Love’.
‘Nuturing, Healing, Love’ These three words have become the foundation of the Jesse Lewis Choose Love Movement and have evolved into a formula that is so simple, yet so profound that it has inspired people all over the world to not only choose love, but become part of the mission to help others do the same.
The signature program of the organization is the Choose Love Enrichment Program. A pre-k through 12th grade curriculum that contains the simple universal teachings of courage, gratitude, forgiveness and compassion in action – the foundational concepts of Social and Emotional Learning (SEL).
SEL is the process through which children & adults acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions, set & achieve positive goals, feel & show empathy and compassion for others, establish & maintain positive relationships and make responsible decisions. This powerful and proactive initiative that has been proven to reduce current and future mental health issues including depression, stress and anxiety disorders and disruptive behavioral issues such as ADHD and bullying. The outcome reduces incarceration, addiction and suicide rates in individuals. Through the Jesse Lewis Choose Love Movement this program is free and available online to all educators.
The Jesse Lewis Choose Love Movement is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization with a commitment to reach students, educators and individuals, nationally and internationally, and provide them with a simple, yet profound formula for choosing love.