Is a healthy child a direct reflection of a healthy community? Yes! When we improve the health of youth and families, our community improves too. By creating community connections in our schools, we can create positive and life-altering outcomes for children and families

Impact

Consistent Effort,
Serious Impact.

Last year’s efforts contributed to lasting impact across 8 schools:

increase in average attendance rates
Improved Impulsivity Among Caseload Students
Improved wellness Among Caseload Students
Improved Grit Among Caseload Students

2025-2026 Impact Report

Building the Conditions for Success

This year, Higher Ground focused on going deeper where our presence could matter most. At P.L. Julian, our first full year of Restart SMART grew from student support into family stabilization, homelessness prevention, partner coordination, and stronger systems around students and families. Julian finished the year with the lowest chronic absenteeism rate in Roosevelt School District, while families receiving direct stabilization support experienced meaningful gains in housing, transportation, food access, and other basic needs.

In Tucson, Judo in Schools delivered 227 school-day sessions while students demonstrated growth in confidence, resilience, self-control, and physical and mental strength. Our work also began reaching beyond individual schools through Future Framework, consulting with Abbie School, and a clearer strategic direction for Higher Ground after a difficult period of financial disruption.

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Previous Reports

Overall Impact

Restart SMART is Higher Ground’s adaptation of the Community School Model. We work at schools in Southern Arizona using a trauma-responsive, multi-generational framework. Community School systems have existed in the US for decades with proven results in community empowerment, lower chronic and situational poverty, lower dropout rates, higher attendance, higher rates of attainment for students, and healthier community economic metrics. 

Our teams support, streamline, expand, and create systems for schools' existing efforts around:

  • Family and community engagement

  • Trauma-informed care

  • Multi-generation approach

  • Behavioral, social, and emotional development

  • Workforce & career skills

  • Addressing the Eight Dimensions of Wellness

  • Executive functions

  • Positive Behavior Intervention Support (PBIS)

  • Enriched learning time and opportunities

  • After-school and summer enrichment programs

Your Donation Helps Us Empower Arizona.

Every contribution, no matter the size, plays a vital role in advancing our mission. Donations made to Higher Ground are used where the need is greatest. Your support allows us to further our mission of empowering one life at a time to reach, transform, and elevate the community through love and character-building.

donate today!