Read the Attendee Packet (PDF)
Thank you to everyone who joined us on Saturday, November 7th, for the SEL Symposium 2026 event. The Learning Studio of the Claude Moore Medical Education Building was full of undergraduates, medical students, educators, volunteers, and community members, all gathered around one idea that sits at the heart of everything we do: "We believe Education is Healthcare: a place to be known, to grow, and to become the fullest version of your own story."
A day for the whole community
The SEL Symposium was a joint effort between Story of You and Story of You Foundation. The morning session began with an inspirational talk from UVA Health's Director of Community Engagement and Health Outcomes, Ms. Jackie Martin, sharing the story of her own son and how SEL helps children build confidence, resilience, healthy relationships, and the ability to advocate for themselves. Our attendees were able to engage in the Privilege for Sale activity that Ms. Martin had prepared for this event, where attendees were asked to "reflect on the advantages that they have, the opportunities others may lack, and the shared responsibility everyone has to ensure every child has the opportunity to thrive." This session segued into a small Storytelling Session by two of our very own Story of You founders, Taehun Lee and Phuong Huynh, alongside Story of You Foundation Board Members Calvin Seol, Hamed Safi, and Sarp Taskintuna, as they shared their own experiences within their respective organizations.
Training our volunteers
The afternoon session was our annual Foundation volunteer training, required once a year for every volunteer, new and returning. Led by Foundation Board Member Srikar Yrimarthy, attendees jumped into various teaching strategies and organizational protocols designed to protect the minors we serve and encourage our SEL pillars in our curricular activities. Attendees left ready to step into roles like Full STEAM Ahead, leading hands-on STEAM and social-emotional learning activities with elementary students, and supporting other community events such as our upcoming Story of You Healthcare Fair (led by new staff member Arwen Chandler).
Thank you
To every speaker, volunteer and guest who gave us their Saturday: thank you for showing up for students. If you couldn't make it and would like to get involved, visit our Get Involved page to learn about volunteering with the Story of You Foundation.
Special thanks to Story of You Founder Joseph Kang and Story of You Foundation Board Member Alex Chiang for the amazing photos from the event, Board Member Akaash Suresh for leading table discussions during our SEL volunteer training, Board Member Jai Raman for development of our volunteer surveys, and Board Member Jay Aswala and Executive Assistant Min Han for outreach and event coordination. Additionally, a huge thank you to the UVA Health Office of Community Engagement and Health Outcomes for providing the event lunch catered from Chipotle.
