Did you know that there is a direct link between happiness and the ability to express gratitude?

In their research study, Dr. Summer Allen and the team at the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley (2018) found that "the experience of gratitude encourages us to appreciate what is good in our lives and compels us to pay this goodness forward. People with more grateful dispositions report being happier and more satisfied with their lives. Gratitude also functions as social glue that nurtures the formation of new friendships, enriches our existing relationships, and underlies the very foundation of human society." (Full study HERE)

Wow. Think about that for a minute.

Even more, gratitude practices have been linked to better mental health. In their research, Dr. Brown and Wong (2017) found that, "compared with the participants who wrote about negative experiences or only received counseling, those who wrote gratitude letters reported significantly better mental health four weeks and 12 weeks after their writing exercise ended.” (Link here).
 
So, what does that mean for us, as humans working together each day to create a better world?
 
For me, it means that I can and need to spend less time on the negatives, and more time focusing on expressing my gratefulness for all the good that exists.

I am grateful for…

• Rain
• Friends
• Warmth
• Community
• Coffee
• Dogs (okay… I guess cats, too 😉)
• Family
• The air I breathe
• The people that support me in this work I get to do every day
• Nature

In solemn recognition of Native American Heritage Month, we at PSD reflect deeply on the profound heritage and enduring contributions of Native Americans.

It's with great respect that we spotlight our Native American Student program, part of our commitment to nurturing and uplifting our indigenous students. For further insight, we invite you to explore the program HERE.

Did you know?

• The Peninsula School District has 100 students with Native American heritage. 

• There are 29 different Native American Tribes in Washington State, and 574 tribes in the United States?

• Native Americans were not granted United States citizenship until 1924 under the “Indian Citizenship Act.”

• A group of Navajo men saved thousands of lives during WWII and helped the U.S. win the war. They were known as Code Talkers.

We honor the Puyallup Tribe of Indians, whose rich cultural legacy profoundly shapes our region. In gratitude, we celebrate their ongoing contributions.

This month, and always, we embrace the richness of diversity, the power of cultural understanding, and the vital legacy of Native American communities at PSD and beyond.