"There is no power for change greater than a community discovering what it cares about."
— Margaret J. Wheatley
We are a place for families.
Discover Together is an innovative partnership developed by members of the Grundy County community in Tennessee, Scholastic, Sewanee: The University of the South, the Yale Child Study Center.
We promote resilience in young families through our integrated network of literacy and place-based educational programs. Through these programs, Discover Together delivers multi-generational interventions as a means to build positive social networks grounded in place, community, and literacy—ultimately fostering resilience.
The Yale Child Study Center-Scholastic Collaborative now serves as the dissemination and oversight entity of the approach and curriculum. The Discover Together pilot began, evolved, and flourishes today in Grundy County, where it continues to be the testing and development site for ongoing initiatives.
We believe…
Stories are powerful tools for bringing people together. Research shows that having positive social connections with others and with the community at large helps children and adults cope with stress and take advantage of life’s opportunities. By honoring the power of stories, Discover Together helps children and their parents recognize the strength of their own stories.
Our themes…
I can be a friend. We are a community.
I can look and learn. We can learn together.
I can talk and listen. We share new ideas.
I can ask questions. We can discover together.
I can find out more. We can imagine.
I can share things I like. We can teach each other.
I can learn from the experiences of others. We can tell our stories.
I am proud of my community. We celebrate Grundy County!
Our mission…
Provide a special and supportive gathering “place” for families: parents, caregivers and young children.
Co-create the Discover Together program and curriculum with participating families to support family and child needs and interests in the surrounding community.
Facilitate sharing and learning of new ideas, strategies, and resources among parents/caregivers as well as supporting parents/caregivers in developing self-identified personal goals for new skills and personal development.
Support strong parent/caregiver-child bonds through child-centered activities that emphasize healthy development across domains (e.g., social-emotional, cognitive, and motor skills) using literacy-based materials and practices.
Create a strong social support network among families with young children and the broader community.
Circulate literacy-based materials and practices (such as sharing book reading, storytelling, and singing songs) not only to build literacy skills, which are critical for school success, but also to promote the development of strong relationships between children and caregivers, laying the foundation for strong social support and resilience.