Innovative Schools Summit 2025: From Risk to Resilience in Las Vegas

In July 2025, DEF joined educators at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas for the Innovative Schools Summit, a national conference focused on practical strategies to support student success. DEF program leaders Liz Thompson and Stefanie McLaney led a well-attended session titled From Risk to Resilience: Tools for Better Youth Decision-Making. Participants rated the session 4.4/5 and gave glowing feedback about the information shared.

The session included hands-on practice using DEF’s Decision Workspace, an interactive tool designed to guide students through real-life choices in a structured way. Participants worked through personal decisions on their own workspaces, while Stefanie and Liz explained concepts represented by each Decision Chain link.

Following the session, many attendees stayed to share their enthusiasm, and to inquire about bringing DEF's lessons and materials to their students. Communication with multiple new schools is now ongoing.

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