In Lindsay Wilson’s homeroom at Liberty Middle School, students engage in structured activities designed to build essential life skills. Today’s lesson might focus on identifying personal values, while tomorrow’s could teach conflict resolution strategies. These daily sessions are part of how Papillion La Vista Community Schools develops skills for success across the district. 

The initiative targets six core competencies: self-awareness, adaptability, empathy, collaboration, agency, and purpose. Unlike traditional character education programs that often feel disconnected from real life, these lessons translate directly to situations students face daily. A student learning adaptability practices adjusting when group project plans change. Those developing agency learn to advocate for themselves with teachers and coaches.

“We’ve made skills for success a district priority because students need practical tools for navigating their world,” says Stephanie Hoesing, PLCS mental health liaison who oversees this curricular area. “When a student can identify their stress triggers and use coping strategies we’ve taught, or when they successfully mediate a conflict between friends using communication techniques from these lessons, that’s real-world application happening right now, not someday in the future.”

The program reaches every PLCS student through homeroom or advisory periods, ensuring equitable access regardless of course selection or academic track. 

Elementary students might start with recognizing emotions and practicing teamwork, while middle schoolers tackle peer pressure and decision-making. High school students explore purpose, career-relevant skills, and preparing for adult responsibilities.

Teachers receive training and adaptable lessons they can customize based on their students’ specific needs. Wilson and her colleagues select strategies that respond to real-time classroom dynamics while developing the essential skills community businesses consistently express they need in future employees. When a teacher observes tension during group work, they might implement targeted collaboration exercises. If students feel overwhelmed by testing pressure, they can introduce stress management techniques that build the soft skills local employers identify as critical for workplace success.

“What’s particularly powerful is watching students coach each other using these skills,” Hoesing observes. “I’ve seen students remind anxious classmates about breathing exercises, or help friends reframe negative self-talk. They’re becoming resources for one another.”

The investment in skills for success reflects PLCS’s recognition that preparing students for their futures requires more than academic achievement. In Wilson’s classroom and throughout the district, students are gaining tools they’ll use whether heading to college, entering the workforce, or navigating relationships. These aren’t soft skills anymore; they’re essential skills, and PLCS ensures every student develops them.