 Adolescence is a time of transition. Physical and social changes create the opportunity for new experiences. But they can also leave teens vulnerable to emotional and behavioral problems. That's led to the development of social and emotional learning programs. SEL programs delivered in school settings foster skills that help students navigate their changing world. Skills like recognizing the effects of emotions on behavior, asking for help, and maintaining healthy relationships. There is little research on SEL programs that use a universal learning approach. To address that gap, researchers recently examined a popular SEL program designed for middle school students. Short for speaking to the potential, ability, and resilience inside every kid, the Spark Pre-teen Mentoring Curriculum is a classroom-based SEL program designed to reduce risk factors, build resiliency, promote emotional well-being, and facilitate school success in youth ages 10 to 13. Using group activities, discussions, and games, Spark facilitators teach 12 one-hour lessons over the course of 12 to 13 weeks. Researchers examined social and emotional competencies of students who received the Spark curriculum, compared with students who did not receive the curriculum. Students were from schools where a substantial number of students are considered economically disadvantaged. Students completed a questionnaire before the Spark curriculum was delivered and after the final lessons. Their responses indicated that 85% of students experienced a positive change in their knowledge of the Spark curriculum, versus 41% of students who did not receive the curriculum. A separate scale was used to measure facilitators' ability to faithfully deliver the Spark curriculum. The average rating was 99.5%. Beyond the ability to grasp the concepts of the Spark curriculum, the questionnaire also explored behavioral outcomes. Students who received the Spark curriculum showed significant increases in their communication, problem-solving, and decision-making skills, compared with those who did not receive the Spark curriculum. They also showed improvements in their ability to understand connection between their thoughts and emotions, and manage how they respond to their emotions. Overall, the findings suggest that the Spark Pre-teen Mentoring Curriculum could be an important part of school's universal support system. A universal approach to social and emotional learning can foster an environment where students experience a positive academic, psychosocial, and mental health outcomes.