Students may feel stress because of positive events, like finally getting into that honors class, or negative ones, like not being sure where they’re going to be living from one day to the next. Those students who are equipped to handle stress through a solid set of social and emotional learning skills are those most likely to make and achieve their goals. In this session, we will examine the difference between stress, chronic stress, and trauma, and read true, teen-written stories to illustrate each type. If the stress is unavoidable, we will discuss how to grow students’ social and emotional learning skills to deal productively with the stress. If it is avoidable, we will discuss alternative approaches that will be healthier and more supportive of students.