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“Brick Clubs” Are Reaching Students Previously Unable to Connect, Open Up Socially
Emily Sanders knows how it looks. “At first I thought, ‘That’s it? They’re just in there playing with LEGOs?’” But as Beaver Area’s assistant superintendent soon discovered, what happens in Brick Clubs can change a student’s life. “It’s almost like magic,” Sanders explains. “When you look at the research and see the results, you realize, ‘Hey, we’re doing something special here.’” Using the “Brick-by-Brick” approach jointly developed by UK-based nonprofit Play Included and the LEGO Foundation, Brick Clubs use intentional, collaborative play to help kids develop communication skills, meaningful relationships, and a sense of belonging and pride. “Post-pandemic, students everywhere are struggling with issues of anxiety and mental health,” says Jeremy Selepec,…


