GiveThx is a research-validated digital model that strengthens K–12 student well-being and social-emotional skills using the science of gratitude and belonging. Through brief lessons, digital thank-you notes called thx notes, and ongoing reflection activities, students build healthy relationships and develop skills that allow them to give and receive gratitude.
GiveThx helps create positive relationships and inclusive school communities where all students and educators feel safe, valued, and connected. School communities are able to decide which values they’d like to focus on for the year with the ultimate goal of weaving gratitude into the fabric of the school’s culture.
The GiveThx model is currently implemented across 10 states. It is actively being scaled across California and new lessons are being added to the curriculum for the 2025–2026 school year. GiveThx Program Overview
What Makes This Model Innovative?
Connection & Community
Whole-Child Focus
Affirmation of Self & Others
Related Models
Pack Model
The Pack Model enables students to take ownership over their development of social, emotional, and academic competencies for success in middle school and beyond.
Pack Model
Pack is a 50-minute morning block dedicated to building belonging and explicit competency instruction. Every Pack class is highly individualized because teachers design learning experiences based on their own proficiency, their students’ needs, and their students’ interests.
The Pack Model focuses specifically on competency development. This means that students are developing discrete skills that will support them both in and outside of school. During daily Pack classes, an Opening Circle is used to define the competency, a challenge is used to practice it, and a Closing Circle is used to reflect on it. Competencies are driven by students’ and teachers’ interests and passions. Pack provides time that is strictly preserved for social emotional-development in the form of specific skill instruction and opportunities for practice and reflection. Pack includes circles and challenges that work in concert to build students’ proficiency in competencies. This structure facilitates student voice, ensures that all students can be seen and heard, and creates ritual.
Pack was created and designed initially to support the under-resourced communities that City Year supports. Implementation begins with a focus on trust, belonging, and peer-to-peer and student–adult relationships. Pack is now implemented in three states and 15 schools, along with numerous education-aligned organizations like City Year.
Compass Academy supports other schools interested in the Pack Model through training and ongoing support to develop teachers’ competencies. Pack Overview
Goals
GiveThx’s research-based model leverages the science of gratitude to strengthen student well-being and social-emotional skills to ultimately support students in becoming self-motivated, engaged, and successful with their academics.
Well-Being
Students increase and strengthen their sense of belonging through acquisition of social and emotional learning (SEL) skills and routines that reduce feelings of isolation and anxiety, so they feel connected, supported, respected, and valued.
Experience
The GiveThx model supports every member of the community, both staff and students, to recognize positive behaviors, reinforce connections, and appreciate all members of the school community. Developed for and by students in low-income, high-trauma communities, GiveThx hinges on peer-to-peer engagement and is grounded in safety, equity, and inclusion.
GiveThx occurs on a weekly basis during an “anchor class,” such as an advisory or another identified class, with the goal of integrating gratitude habits into daily school culture and practices. Each month, students will engage with two GiveThx social-emotional lessons, and two GiveThx practices—one for writing digital thank-you notes and one for reflecting on the gratitude they have received from others.
Students participate in GiveThx lessons to nurture mental health, relationships, and skills that create an inclusive, equitable, and thriving learning community. Lessons, which range from 5 to 15 minutes in length, are composed of direct instruction, paired or group discussion, and opportunities to practice gratitude. Lessons are taught every other week during the pre-identified anchor class. Examples include:
- Introduction to Gratitude Science: understanding how your brain and relationships change when practicing gratitude (Lesson 1)
- Meaningful Messages: learning how to write strong thank-you notes to peers (Lesson 3) Meaningful Messages Lesson
- Thanking Adults: practicing ways to thank adults at school, including those you do not know well (Lesson 7)
- Habits and Goals: exploring habit formation science to help build a strong gratitude practice (Lesson 10).
Lessons are written for 3 grade band levels (K–2, 3–5, and 6–12) and include facilitation guides, resources (e.g., slide decks, worksheets), and extension activities to help students build the habit of gratitude.
After the first year of implementing GiveThx, schools can choose if they’d like to repeat lessons or focus on maintaining the gratitude habits they built among students to nurture and measure mental health, belonging, and culture. Additional lessons are currently in development and will likely be released during the 2025–2026 school year.
Using the GiveThx software, students write and send digital thx notes to recognize positive behaviors, reinforce connection, and appreciate others. Digital Thx Notes Demo With guidance from their teachers, students first learn how to write productive and positive thx notes. When they are ready, students are granted access to send thx notes to other students or staff in their anchor class. After several weeks of demonstrated success, schools can open access such that students can send thx notes to any adult or student in their grade level.
During the dedicated GiveThx time (on the “off weeks” between the lessons), students engage in guided gratitude practices that provide structure for writing notes of gratitude and self-reflecting (see Reflection section). Practices Guide Examples of these practices include:
- Gratitude Wave: Everyone sends a thx note to the same person.
- Left/Right/Pick Gratitude: Students form a circle to determine who to give thx notes to, then write notes to the people to their left and right and a third person of their choosing.
- New Gratitude: Students send thx notes to peers they have not sent to previously.
Unlike social media platforms—where everyone can see who is being included or excluded on the digital playground—GiveThx’s one-on-one messages allow students to build community through confidential notes of appreciation, which keeps the focus on strengths-based, positive peer-to-peer engagement. Additionally, anchor-class teachers are able to access all of the thx notes sent by students in their classroom. This monitoring allows teachers to give constructive feedback to students and ensure that they are using the software responsibly.
The GiveThx app collects the thx notes sent and received in one accessible dashboard. Students have ongoing access to both the notes they sent and those they received and are asked to reflect on their feedback as part of a regular routine. The software helps each student build a gratitude habit, set goals, and monitor their own practice. Each thx note also has a tag associated with it, which allows schools to focus on specific SEL competencies, such as helping others, listening, or courage. Each school determines its own set of values and behaviors it wants to target, which helps to make school culture visible, practical, and measurable. Thx notes received by a 9th grader
Reflection practices are integrated into GiveThx time approximately once per month. These activities, guided by teachers, encourage students to reflect on their experiences of giving and receiving gratitude, identify individual strengths, and practice self-awareness. Practices Guide Reflection activities include:
- General Thx: Students write about something they are thankful for.
- Strengths Inventory: Students analyze their previously received thx notes to better understand what they have been thanked for and identify personal character strengths.
- Grateful by Subtraction: Students consider how things would be different if an event had never happened.
Collectively, students and teachers may work together to set and define a monthly focus or theme (e.g., kindness, cooperating, listening) and create a shared goal. At the end of each month, students look through their digital thx notes to find examples that showcase that they demonstrated the goal that month and have the opportunity to reflect on their personal engagement with the theme.
Supporting Structures
GiveThx is intentionally designed to be flexible and can be implemented in any school setting with minimal changes needed to the school day. GiveThx provides a readiness checklist to ensure that schools are ready for a successful and engaging experience. Readiness Checklist
Schools leverage GiveThx’s research-validated SEL lessons to nurture mental health and build a sense of belonging.
The GiveThx curriculum is a series of 14 lessons taught every other week across 9 months, as well as a series of applied learning activities (referred to as Practices) that help reinforce routines infused with gratitude. The curriculum is flexible by design with the goal of building skills and reinforcing positive behaviors that improve students’ mental health, connection to peers, and academic performance. GiveThx Scope and Sequence
Students participate in individual mid- and end-of-program assessments to understand and track growth around their own mental health, sense of belonging, self- and social awareness, relationship skills, and self-management. Students use their own data and artifacts (i.e., thx notes and previous reflections) to respond to open-ended prompts, which are shared with teachers to allow those teachers to make data-informed decisions to support their students. GiveThx Student Assessment Prompts
For schools interested in tracking quantitative outcomes, surveys can also be administered to students to track the model’s impact on students (e.g., students respond using a Likert scale to items such as “GiveThx improved my ability to see my strengths”).
The GiveThx software itself can also serve as a progress-monitoring tool so that teachers can view the extent to which each student is connected to other students (i.e., whether or not students are sending notes beyond their immediate group of friends).
Schools must have clearly established values and commit to a strengths-based school culture.
A set of school-defined values and behaviors drives the GiveThx model. By tagging each thx note with one of the school’s values, schools make culture visible, practical, and measurable, and empower all stakeholders to share responsibility for defining and maintaining school culture. For schools beginning their journey of naming values, behaviors, and desired social-emotional outcomes, GiveThx provides an easy, supportive way to get started during the planning and rollout phases.
Schools must first have buy-in from educators in the learning community in order to effectively implement the GiveThx model.
To implement GiveThx with students, schools must identify at least 1 administrator and 1 teacher who can hold the work as “local experts.” They are responsible for communications between GiveThx and the larger school population, as well as leading staff through programming (e.g., opening staff meetings with a GiveThx lesson and/or opportunity to send a note). This person, who is often the principal, vice principal, or school counselor, also maintains access to all thx notes sent and received through the software.
All of the adults in the school, both teaching and non-teaching staff, are responsible for setting the tone of the GiveThx model. School staff participate in a virtual program rollout that guides the adults through the science of gratitude and introduces them to the thanking and reflection activities the students will eventually participate in. After building staff buy-in, capacity, and well-being—usually after 1–2 months—the program expands to students.
Schools must identify an “anchor class” for GiveThx implementation.
GiveThx occurs weekly for between 5 and 15 minutes depending on the lesson or activity. It is best implemented as a standard routine for students, taking place in the same class and location. In elementary schools this might take place during morning meetings, whereas in older grades the anchor location might be advisory or homeroom classes.
Schools must have stable access to the internet and devices with web browsers in order to implement GiveThx.
The GiveThx platform relies on students having regular and ongoing web access, though very low bandwidth is required. All users are provided with a GiveThx account so they can access the platform. Schools must also take steps to approve the GiveThx website and emails, to allow the platform to bypass existing firewalls. Technical Setup Guide
It is ideal for each student to have their own device, which helps ensure smooth implementation of lessons and activities. However, students can share devices, if necessary.
Schools must allocate funding for the GiveThx model in both the short and the long term.
In order to implement GiveThx, schools must purchase access to the program. Pricing includes access to the GiveThx curriculum and digital platform, as well as personalized planning, rollout, administrative access to school data, and ongoing customer support.
Pricing is done on a per student basis with an additional annual setup fee. À la carte professional development sessions for staff are also available. GiveThx Pricing Guide
GiveThx’s measurement system can support continuous improvement in programming when schools choose to use it.
GiveThx can help schools formatively assess their culture and connection. Using both software data analytics and self-report measures (e.g., student surveys, open-response reflection prompts), schools can measure and monitor engagement, connection, and culture among staff and students. These analytics provide schools the opportunity to adjust their model implementation and broader culture and climate practices more effectively to ensure that all students and staff feel safe, valued, and connected. Sample Administrator Dashboard
Schools leverage GiveThx’s research-validated SEL lessons to nurture mental health and build a sense of belonging.
The GiveThx curriculum is a series of 14 lessons taught every other week across 9 months, as well as a series of applied learning activities (referred to as Practices) that help reinforce routines infused with gratitude. The curriculum is flexible by design with the goal of building skills and reinforcing positive behaviors that improve students’ mental health, connection to peers, and academic performance. GiveThx Scope and Sequence
Students participate in individual mid- and end-of-program assessments to understand and track growth around their own mental health, sense of belonging, self- and social awareness, relationship skills, and self-management. Students use their own data and artifacts (i.e., thx notes and previous reflections) to respond to open-ended prompts, which are shared with teachers to allow those teachers to make data-informed decisions to support their students. GiveThx Student Assessment Prompts
For schools interested in tracking quantitative outcomes, surveys can also be administered to students to track the model’s impact on students (e.g., students respond using a Likert scale to items such as “GiveThx improved my ability to see my strengths”).
The GiveThx software itself can also serve as a progress-monitoring tool so that teachers can view the extent to which each student is connected to other students (i.e., whether or not students are sending notes beyond their immediate group of friends).
Schools must have clearly established values and commit to a strengths-based school culture.
A set of school-defined values and behaviors drives the GiveThx model. By tagging each thx note with one of the school’s values, schools make culture visible, practical, and measurable, and empower all stakeholders to share responsibility for defining and maintaining school culture. For schools beginning their journey of naming values, behaviors, and desired social-emotional outcomes, GiveThx provides an easy, supportive way to get started during the planning and rollout phases.
Schools must first have buy-in from educators in the learning community in order to effectively implement the GiveThx model.
To implement GiveThx with students, schools must identify at least 1 administrator and 1 teacher who can hold the work as “local experts.” They are responsible for communications between GiveThx and the larger school population, as well as leading staff through programming (e.g., opening staff meetings with a GiveThx lesson and/or opportunity to send a note). This person, who is often the principal, vice principal, or school counselor, also maintains access to all thx notes sent and received through the software.
All of the adults in the school, both teaching and non-teaching staff, are responsible for setting the tone of the GiveThx model. School staff participate in a virtual program rollout that guides the adults through the science of gratitude and introduces them to the thanking and reflection activities the students will eventually participate in. After building staff buy-in, capacity, and well-being—usually after 1–2 months—the program expands to students.
Schools must identify an “anchor class” for GiveThx implementation.
GiveThx occurs weekly for between 5 and 15 minutes depending on the lesson or activity. It is best implemented as a standard routine for students, taking place in the same class and location. In elementary schools this might take place during morning meetings, whereas in older grades the anchor location might be advisory or homeroom classes.
Schools must have stable access to the internet and devices with web browsers in order to implement GiveThx.
The GiveThx platform relies on students having regular and ongoing web access, though very low bandwidth is required. All users are provided with a GiveThx account so they can access the platform. Schools must also take steps to approve the GiveThx website and emails, to allow the platform to bypass existing firewalls. Technical Setup Guide
It is ideal for each student to have their own device, which helps ensure smooth implementation of lessons and activities. However, students can share devices, if necessary.
Schools must allocate funding for the GiveThx model in both the short and the long term.
In order to implement GiveThx, schools must purchase access to the program. Pricing includes access to the GiveThx curriculum and digital platform, as well as personalized planning, rollout, administrative access to school data, and ongoing customer support.
Pricing is done on a per student basis with an additional annual setup fee. À la carte professional development sessions for staff are also available. GiveThx Pricing Guide
GiveThx’s measurement system can support continuous improvement in programming when schools choose to use it.
GiveThx can help schools formatively assess their culture and connection. Using both software data analytics and self-report measures (e.g., student surveys, open-response reflection prompts), schools can measure and monitor engagement, connection, and culture among staff and students. These analytics provide schools the opportunity to adjust their model implementation and broader culture and climate practices more effectively to ensure that all students and staff feel safe, valued, and connected. Sample Administrator Dashboard
Supports Offered
GiveThx offers the following supports to help you implement the approach.
GiveThx
Cost Associated, Funding Available
The GiveThx model implementation includes:
- SEL lessons and activities
- access to the web app
- personalized training for planning, setup, and rollout
- on-demand customer support.
As a part of the partnership, GiveThx can provide additional coaching and consulting to its partners to improve implementation and address specific challenges.
Interested schools may also apply to GiveThx’s Educator Wellbeing Program Grant to receive the GiveThx model free of charge for school and district staff.
Gratitude Practices Guide
Free
GiveThx offers a wide range of gratitude practices that work for elementary, middle, and high schools. The guide includes 26 unique practices that can be implemented alongside a school’s existing SEL curriculum, along with reflection and gratitude activities, and a complete lesson guide for each practice.
Professional Learning Sessions
Cost Associated
GiveThx offers both virtual and in-person professional learning to school and district staff. Topics include:
- Gratitude Science for Schools
- Making Culture Visible, Practical, and Measurable
- Student and Staff Wellbeing
- Equitable and Identity-Safe SEL
- Responding to Formative Social-Emotional Data
Reach
Demonstration Sites
The following sites are examples of learning communities that have successfully implemented the model.
Leadership Public Schools Hayward
Hayward, CA
9-12
Charter
Sunset Beach Elementary School
Kaleiwa, HI
PK-6
Traditional Public
Horizon Middle School
Kearney, NE
6-8
Traditional Public
Impact
An independent research study conducted in 2017 by California State University and published in the Journal of Positive Psychology showed that, after 6 weeks of using GiveThx in 2 high schools, student mental health improved, ability to express gratitude increased, and students showed higher levels of life and friendship satisfaction and lower levels of stress, anxiety, and depression. GiveThx Research Brief
GiveThx improves students’ and staff’s sense of belonging:
- 78% of students agree that the GiveThx model improved their sense of belonging at school.
- 81% of staff agree that the GiveThx model improved their sense of belonging at school.
GiveThx improves students’ and staff’s ability to see their own strengths:
- 78% of students agree that the GiveThx model improved their ability to see their own strengths.
- 78% of staff agree that the GiveThx model improved their ability to see their own strengths.
GiveThx improves students’ and staff’s well-being at school:
- 75% of students agree that the GiveThx model improved their well-being at school.
- 80% of staff agree that the GiveThx model improved their well-being at school.
“When I use GiveThx, I feel a lot more appreciated and happy. I get so much joy from letting other people know I see their strengths.” — 7th grade participant
GiveThx improves class and staff culture at school:
- 73% of students agree that the GiveThx model improved class culture at school.
- 79% of staff agree that the GiveThx model improved staff culture at school.
“For kids this age, GiveThx is almost like training wheels for a positive way to use social media—something to consider as an angle when you’re promoting it. They’re learning how to interact online though only in one direction and being able to ‘react’ to a message. There’s no public social comparison, which is fantastic—just sending each other positive messages and getting to see their impact.” — teacher participant