Community for Education Foundation

It's vital that all children learn the skills that are critical to success—how to communicate well, make good decisions, and set and achieve meaningful goals. When children learn these skills, they begin to respect themselves, become engaged in their learning, and are able to excel in college and careers. Research shows time and time again that teaching life skills results in better self-esteem, positive social behavior, increased emotional well-being, and higher grades and life outcomes.

Because these skills are not innate, we created Overcoming Obstacles in 1992 to help educators bring life skills instruction to young people. Overcoming Obstacles includes an entire year of materials on over 20 vital topics, including problem solving, conflict resolution, time management, financial responsibility, and study skills. The program also provides professional development and ongoing support services, which include implementation planning and one-on-one coaching.

Over the past 21 years, Overcoming Obstacles has helped thousands of educators positively impact the lives of over three million young people across the country.

For more information, visit www.overcomingobstacles.org.