GIVING THANKS A Year of Growth, Gratitude, and Community

As we gather around warm meals and familiar faces this Thanksgiving, WISE ED pauses to reflect on a year that has been nothing short of extraordinary. 2025 has been a season of growth, connection, and purpose for our community. From expanding our learning initiatives to welcoming new students, mentors, and partners, WISE ED has continued to evolve into a vibrant ecosystem where everyone can learn, lead, and belong.

As we look back on this year, one theme rises above all others: gratitude.

A Prosperous and Active Year at WISE ED

This year, WISE ED reached new milestones:

• We launched new learning pathways that empowered young leaders to innovate, reflect, and create.

• Our community collaborations expanded, bringing students, educators, and professionals together across disciplines and backgrounds.

• The WISE ED network became more global, diverse, and dynamic than ever before.

• And most meaningful of all, we witnessed real stories of personal growth — individuals discovering their voice, building confidence, forming friendships, and embracing their potential.

Thanksgiving gives us the perfect moment to pause and recognize all we have built together. Every achievement this year was a shared one. Every step forward was taken as a community.

The Benefits of Gratitude for Health and Well-Being

Researchers have long shown what many of us intuitively know: gratitude is transformative.

Practicing gratitude, especially in communal rituals like Thanksgiving, has powerful effects on our health and mental well-being:

• Reduced stress and anxiety: Gratitude activates brain pathways related to calmness and emotional regulation.

• Improved mental clarity: Reflecting on what we appreciate increases positive thinking and resilience.

• Stronger relationships: Expressing thankfulness strengthens trust, deepens bonds, and builds empathy.

• Better physical health: Studies link gratitude with better sleep, lower inflammation, and improved heart health.

• A sense of purpose and groundedness: Gratitude reminds us of where we have been, where we stand, and where we’re going.

Thanksgiving is more than a holiday — it’s a reminder to slow down, breathe, and acknowledge the foundation beneath our feet.

Thanksgiving as a Tradition of Giving and Love

Every community survives through its rituals, and Thanksgiving is one of the few moments in modern life that asks us to pause — truly pause — and take stock of the gifts around us.

There’s an old adage:“Thanksgiving is not about what’s on the table, but who is at the table.”

At its core, Thanksgiving is a tradition of giving, sharing, and remembering the meaning behind what we do. It is a yearly ritual that invites us to reconnect with kindness, generosity, and love. In giving thanks, we honor the people who have supported us, the journeys that have shaped us, and the opportunities that have carried us forward.

Belonging: A Quiet Truth of Thanksgiving

More than anything, Thanksgiving is a celebration of belonging.

We often move through the world feeling like we must earn our place — but the truth is far simpler and far more comforting: We already belong.To our communities, to our histories, to our families — chosen or given — and to ourselves.

Thanksgiving offers a moment to reflect on that deep truth. It reminds us that we are part of something larger, that we are woven into the lives of others, and that we never truly lack. Even in seasons of challenge or uncertainty, there is always something — or someone — anchoring us.

Belonging is not a destination; it is a recognition. And Thanksgiving helps us remember.

Looking Ahead With Gratitude

As WISE ED enters the next chapter, we do so with full hearts. Gratitude for our students. Gratitude for our educators and partners. Gratitude for everyone who has contributed to this growing community of learning and purpose.

We end this year knowing we are stronger together, and we step into the next knowing we have much more to create.

From all of us at WISE ED —Happy Thanksgiving. May your day be filled with warmth, reflection, and the reminder that you belong.