Stuart Country Day School in Princeton, NJ has become the first K-12 school to partner with West Virginia University's Purpose Center to give every Upper School student—and faculty member—the CliftonStrengths assessment, the same tool used by Fortune 500 companies to help employees understand their natural talents.

We launched the initiative this fall after sending a group of students in our Leadership Endorsement program to WVU last January, where they spent two days exploring how their strengths connect to their sense of purpose. The response was so powerful that the Upper School integrated CliftonStrengths into its ninth-grade Purpose curriculum and year-long advisory program for all Upper Schoolers. All faculty and staff have also completed the CliftonStrengths assessment. 

Director of College Counseling and Academic Advising Cindy Michalak said: “By emphasizing a student’s natural talents and how they naturally lead, it encourages a positive mindset, helps them see how leaning into their authentic selves can produce a more fulfilling Upper School experience, and can ultimately help students articulate their purpose. We know from research that having a sense of purpose results in greater happiness and well-being, so having our upper school students take the CliftonStrengths assessment and dive into exploring what these strengths mean for them felt really important.”

A ninth grade student, Julia, shared: "Finding and learning about our strengths through the CliftonStrengths assessment made me think about my learning and leadership style in a different way. Relating our strengths to the Leap Kits we completed in class allowed me to learn how to incorporate my strengths into achieving my goals."

Head of Upper School Kristen Zosche said: “In the Cor Cordis 9: Purpose class, the freshmen have been discussing their CliftonStrengths and their values for a month now. Our discussions invite them to look for daily moments when their strengths and values align. There have definitely been lightbulb moments for them as they learn a new language to describe what they do without realizing it. I’ve often heard students say “I’m not good at anything,” but these exercises help them see what their superpowers are.”

Cate Schlobohm, Director of the Purpose Center at WVU, offered the following on this new partnership: "As the first K–12 school to partner so closely with the WVU Purpose Center, Stuart's spirit of innovation and unwavering commitment to putting students first have paved the way for creative, purpose-driven conversations and activities that inspire growth, connection, and belonging."

This strengths-based approach aligns seamlessly with Stuart's Sacred Heart mission to educate students to become confident, compassionate leaders who discover and develop their God-given gifts in service to others.

To learn more about Stuart Country Day School's innovative approach to student development and our partnership with the WVU Purpose Center, contact the Office of Marketing and Communications at hmorris@stuartschool.org.