Pasadena Educational Foundation Grant Helps Blair Teacher Support Student Well-Being

“The project gave me the opportunity to understand my students on a deeper level. By doing so, I was able to adapt our classroom activities to better support them in coping and growing… I came to see how vital it is for students to enjoy school if we want them to stay engaged through to graduation.” – Liliana Tang

Blair High School science teacher Liliana Tang used a Pasadena Educational Foundation teacher grant to help students cope with the emotional impact of the Eaton Fire and other community challenges.

With the grant, Tang provided planners and journals for 40 middle school students, incorporating daily mindfulness and reflection into her lessons. The planners improved organization, while the journals offered a safe outlet for students to express feelings of stress, fear, and uncertainty.

“The journals were a great success because students could share their emotions – many were still affected by the fires and immigration raids in the community,” Tang said.

Her project introduced Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) into the classroom, helping students build self-awareness, empathy, and resilience. Tang is now working with colleagues to expand SEL strategies across the Blair campus to support long-term student well-being.

About Pasadena Educational Foundation

Pasadena Educational Foundation (PEF) is a nonprofit organization that advocates for public education, engages the community, and develops resources to support excellence and equity for all Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD) students. Whether it be through the arts, music, health centers, gardens, or STEM programs they support, PEF is dedicated to creating a better future for the public school students of Altadena, Pasadena, and Sierra Madre.

Pasadena Educational Foundation (PEF), 351 South Hudson Ave. RM 153, Pasadena, (626) 396-3625 or visit pasedfoundation.org.