Mission

PULSE empowers high school teens (grades 9-12) to cultivate self-worth, confidence, and resilience. Through creative expression, mentorship, and community connection, we help teens transform loneliness, anxiety, and insecurities into authenticity, courage, and confidence.

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The Challenge

Teens today face growing wellbeing challenges rooted in social comparison, performance pressure, and isolation. Many feel disconnected, anxious, or “never enough.” Without supportive spaces to build confidence and connection, their potential for growth and leadership is often limited.

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Our Solution

PULSE is a social initiative that hosts weekly virtual meetups where teens can have genuine conversations about the issues that really matter in their lives.  It's an opportunity to build connection, develop emotional skills, support one another in a safe, structured environment, and foster leadership skills.

Core Components of PULSE Real Talk Circles:

• Safe, facilitated peer sessions focused on self-esteem, managing anxiety, confidence, social media stress, friendship challenges, academic and perfectionism pressures, etc. 

• Teens mentor each other, modeling confidence and leadership.

• Real Talk Circles are facilitated by Dr. Madeleine Gagnon, board-certified pediatrician, to ensure safety and quality content.

• Real Talk Circles may be co-facilitated by PULSE GenZ College Ambassadors.  The role of our College Ambassadors is to help high school teens discover their voice, strengthen their resilience, and step confidently into who they are becoming  

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Social Impact Goals

• Reduce Loneliness:  One in 6 people worldwide are affected by loneliness, and the percentage is highest among 13- to 17-year-olds, according to the latest report by the World Health Organization’s Commission on Social Connection. (Source: Education Week)

• Reduce Anxiety :  20% of teens ages 12-17 years reported symptoms of anxiety in the past two weeks.  (Source: Education Week)

• Boost Confidence 

• Empower Leadership & Communication Skills

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Logistics

• PULSE community will launch it's eight (8) week Real Talk Circles pilot on January 6th, 2026. 

• Meetings (aka: Real Talk Circles) will be held Tuesdays at 7pm CST online. 

• These are closed meetings--meaning only for teens who have been formally enrolled with guardian permission as per below.​

 

Enrollment

To enroll in this pilot community of PULSE, please complete the Enrollment form below (scroll to below).  After enrollment, a member of our team will contact you.  Zoom link will be shared after enrollment process is complete.  All enrollment information will be kept confidential.​​​