Two new collections on Mizzen Education, created by kid-grit co-founders Julia Gabor and Jeffery L. Jordan, bring you imaginative opening and closing activities, and more, that help young learners feel more grounded, valued, calm, and strong.
Julia Gabor, the founder of kid-grit with Jeffrey L. Jordan, had a powerful dream. Growing up—largely on her own—on the bustling streets of New York City, she’d dreamt of a world where every young person could be fully themselves but with the support, strength, and care to truly thrive. One day she’d make it big as a movie star in L.A., bring home millions, and build a world-class center for youth.
“It would be the ultimate Boys & Girls Club or YMCA—a utopian society for kids—with sports, the arts, and academic achievement,” Julia said. “We’d hire all the best people and pay them well.”
The idea was not so far-fetched. Julia came from a family of artists and innovators; her father was a talented freelance writer; her mother directed international theater; and Julia herself majored in theater arts and found early success in acting and teaching improv.
So, she took the plunge and headed out to L.A. But life had other plans. After several years piecing together auditions, castings, and a dozen part-time jobs, she hit a wall. At her lowest moment, a close friend asked what she really wanted to do. “I just want to work with kids,” Julia said. “Why do you need a million dollars to work with kids?” her friend asked. “You’re talented. They need you. Just go do it.”
A bright light came on. This was the start of kid-grit.
Julia shifted gears, volunteering at a local school and working with After-School All-Stars - LA, where she first met Carlos Santini, then Executive VP of Programs at After-School All-Stars and now CEO of Mizzen Education. She led national programs at the TGR Foundation (Tiger Woods Foundation) and WRiTE BRAiN BOOKS. Then, she reconnected with Jeffrey Jordan, a college star basketball player who’d grown up in her old neighborhood and become a youth development leader in his own right. Together, they founded kid-grit, which now serves educators in 30+ states and benefits more than 100,000 youth.
At its core, kid-grit is built on four pillars, Mind, Body, Community, and Digital Awareness, and anchored in education research and the real-life needs of educators and youth. It’s also infused with Julia and Jeffrey’s firsthand sense of resilience, the power of the performing arts and sports, and the endless possibilities of meeting staff and students in the present moment.
This sensibility shapes kid-grit’s new collections on Mizzen.
Opening and Closing Activities for K-2 gently sets the stage for a strong and centered start to any lesson—and cultivates kindness, connection, and courage at the end. A similar playlist of Activities for Grades 3-5 invites young people to slow down and look inward from the start, and close out with self-reflection, gratitude, and growth.
Each youth-centered collection is filled with creative, adaptable prompts that help youth develop 21st Century skills like curiosity, critical thinking, and collaboration.
“I think of educators and front-line staff as artists and innovators, with the ability to craft real-time impact. My hope for these activities on Mizzen is that they will be an entryway to more critical-thinking and creativity. If educators feel they are resonating, they don’t have to stick to a script, but can explore even further, enjoy the process, and play.”
— Julia Gabor, Mindful Founder, kid-grit
That creative space for educators has been a win for youth.
“I like kid-grit because we get to talk about things we usually don’t talk about in a classroom environment,” a kid-grit student said. “It’s also made us a lot closer and made me realize that all of us are kids going through pretty much the same things. I’m glad I’m not the only one feeling this way.”
See the collections in action. Head to the Mizzen platform to check out openers like Wonderful World of Feelings, where children use creative prompts to explore their emotions and ease into learning and In the Shape of … where they reflect on an animal whose qualities they share—an activity that calls on them to have “the courage of a lion.”