Deedra Strang, a speech and language pathologist at Mercer Elementary School, has been honored by a national organization for her leadership in implementing a social-emotional learning program developed at Yale University. She is one of two recipients of the Marvin Maurer Award for Excellence in Emotional Literacy.

Called the RULER approach, the program helps students recognize and manage their emotional ups and downs in order to stay focused. It is one of several strategies used in the District to help students develop positive personal attributes and foster a positive learning atmosphere.