Following the mass shooting in Florida last month, and the many other tragedies that occurred before it, we find ourselves asking if it’s possible to keep our children safe and prevent violence in our schools. While the issues of gun control and mental health services are key discussion points both locally and nationally, they do not address the root cause of the problem, which is disconnection and anger in our youth.

School-based Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) programs teach children the skills necessary to reduce social isolation and distress that leads to violent behavior and bullying in our schools, as well as suicide, drug, and alcohol abuse.

In recent years, there has been a tremendous increase in SEL policies and programs in all 50 states according to a study by the Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL). The results of these programs show a reduction in depression and anxiety as well as factors leading to violence. SEL also increases positive peer relationships, increased grades, test scores and graduation rates.

More than 20 SEL programs, supported by the Pillars of Peace Hawai‘i Initiative (PoPH) at the Hawaii Community Foundation (HCF), are currently in place in 11 Hawaii schools. In addition, PoPH supports the Roots of Empathy and Ceeds of Peace programs bringing SEL to 10 additional schools.

A notable SEL program supported by HCF is the Choose Love Enrichment Program, founded in honor of Jesse Lewis, a remarkable 6-year-old who was killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012.

Shortly before Jesse died, he wrote “nurturing, healing love” on the family’s kitchen chalkboard. This is the message that Choose Love shares in his memory. The program teaches pre-K through 12th grade learners how to choose loving action in any circumstance and focuses on the character values — courage, gratitude, forgiveness and compassion in action. These values cultivate optimism, resilience and personal responsibility through emotional intelligence, neuroscience, growth mindset, and more.

In Hawaii, Ka‘elepulu Elementary selected Choose Love as their SEL program and the results are promising. After a year of Choose Love, the students at Ka‘elepulu reported 95 percent less anxiety and stress, 98 percent of students had a better ability to see other’s perspectives and show empathy, 91 percent felt less aggression and anger in their lives, and 99 percent were able to respond to others in a more loving manner. The noticeable improvement in classroom climate, teacher well-being, and students’ overall behavior has inspired 17 other schools in Hawaii to join them in implementing Choose Love on campus.

As a community, it is our responsibility to make sure Hawaii’s aloha spirit is perpetuated and proactively taught to our keiki. While we still need to emphasize the fundamentals, like reading, writing, and arithmetic, we also need to teach our children the skills to understand and manage their feelings, and to recognize the emotions of others and build strong relationships.

Through evidence-based, best practice SEL programs, we believe it can happen. We don’t have a choice; we have to do everything we can to prevent another tragic incident. As Mary Gordon, founder of the Roots of Empathy program which started in Canada over 20 years ago has said, “As important as it is to learn to read, if we don’t learn to relate, we are a failed society.”

Robbie Ann Kane is director of programs-Omidyar Initiatives at the Hawaii Community Foundation; Scarlett Lewis, whose 6-year-old son Jesse was killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012, is founder of the Jesse Lewis Choose Love Enrichment Program.

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To learn more about SEL programs, visit pillarsofpeace.hawaiicommunityfoundation.org/sel/socialemotionallearning.