FIRST WORD
What Education Can Do
A Lindsay VanAsdalan
Editor LVanAsdalan@
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info@thefamilymagazine.com s children make their way back to school for
the 2022-23 school year, there are a lot of
responsibilities for parents to juggle—ensur-
ing their kids have the proper school supplies, clothing,
backpacks and even school-required vaccines (pg. 24).

But there is one element of back-to-school prepara-
tion that families might not have considered. Violence
in public places such as churches, movie theaters and
schools—with the most recent occurring this past
spring in Uvalde, Texas, where 19 children and two
adults were killed at Robb Elementary School—could
leave children and teens reasonably wary of returning
to the classroom. Contributing writer Megan Conway
broaches this difficult topic with input from experts
in adolescent psychology on how to help kids rebuild
trust and feel safe (pg. 18).

Education can be a powerful tool for assuaging fears
and giving children the strength they need to push
through challenging circumstances. Parents will have
the opportunity to educate themselves and work with
their children to overcome traumas at a new center
designed to be accessible to all families (pg. 14).

Education can also build confidence through the
arts, opening up the door to transferable skills that
help your child in school and in life. Local dance stu-
dios in the DMV weigh in on the powerful benefits of
this art form (pg 18).

The school environment brings with it challenges,
such as adjusting to a new school with a disability (pg.

22) but also opportunities. My Turn contributor Lana
Yeganova, co-founder and math instructor at Avatar
Learning Center, shares how beginning shadow edu-
cation at a young age sets students up for success (pg.

30). In this issue, we celebrate education and the many
ways it can transform us, with a special focus on the
arts—an outlet for curious minds to explore creatively
and learn about who they are.

Happy reading, and welcome back to school!
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