Case Study: Marshall County Schools

Transforming Student Resilience in Marshall County Kentucky (4,495 students)

The Context

Marshall County Schools, nestled in the rural heart of West Kentucky, is a tight-knit community.

Like many districts, the pandemic left its mark, with students struggling to develop social skills and facing challenges such as low self-esteem, anxiety, and engaging in toxic relationships.

As is the case in many rural towns, the closeness of the community meant that the most transformative solutions were the ones that came from within.

Group of five people smiling, holding educational materials, standing in a classroom setting with a blue couch and posters in the background.

The Need: Sustainability & Longevity

Recognizing the need for a consistent, district-wide approach to address mental health issues among students, Marshall County set out to create both a culture and programs that would foster a supportive environment and ensure comprehensive Tier 2 support for all students.

The district knew the key to system-wide change was empowering their own staff to train counselors and mental health staff to lead programs, ensuring sustainability and longevity without reliance on external vendors.

To achieve this, the district needed a partner who could provide rigorous in-person training to build the capacity of the first cohort counselors and mental health staff in the short-term, while simultaneously planning to hand over training responsibility to the district team in the long-term.

Finally, they wanted a consistent language, culture and approach across all schools to empowering students, so that there was a clear “Marshall County Way” to build resilience.

The Solution: Empower From Within

Step 1: Listening & Learning Tour

“We immersed ourselves in the Marshall County community by meeting with school staff, attending student-led events, and hosting staff wellbeing mixers and information sessions.

We facilitated a pilot with a group of high school students so that staff could observe a Live Big Community program in action and assess its potential impact,” Lex Moschakis, Live Big’s CEO, described.

“This groundwork helped us understand the unique needs and culture of the district, get feedback from staff, and generate excitement among those who would be participating in the training. Live Big became their initiative.”

A classroom scene with students seated at tables, participating in a workshop or lesson. A woman stands at the front near a screen displaying a slideshow titled 'Connecting to Character I AM'. Students have notepads, markers, and small objects on their desks. The room has educational materials and decorations on the wall.

Step 2: Program Implementation

Opting for Live Big’s four-day Deep-Dive Training spread over the year, elementary, middle and high school staff learned how to deliver Live Big’s evidence-based approach, customize lessons to support different student needs, and practiced with their peers.
With the first cohort a success, a second cohort of staff was launched six months later.
At the start of the second year, two staff received additional training to become Marshall County Staff Trainers, replacing the Live Big team for future training

Step 3: Marshall County Independence

Marshall County Staff Trainers trained the third cohort of staff independently shortly thereafter, and have continued to train staff across the district.

“This approach lowers training costs in the long-term and ensures the program’s scalability and sustainability,” Lex noted.

She adds, “Although I miss spending time with the Marshall County community, I am proud that I am no longer needed!”

A group of nine people standing indoors, smiling at the camera. They are in front of a large screen displaying a diagram with zones labeled as Comfort, Fear, Learning, and Growth. The room has a carpeted floor, and a window with blinds is visible on the right side.

A classroom with young students sitting at round tables, some raising their hands, listening to a teacher standing in front near a large screen displaying a presentation about living big. The classroom has bookshelves, colorful decorations, and a whiteboard.

Yellow checkmark badge with text 'More mental health support for staff & students'

The Impact

The impact of Live Big Community’s partnership with Marshall County has been profound. Guides are successfully using the Live Big programs in elementary, middle, and high schools.

Illustration with a green circle containing a red check mark beside text "Improved staff confidence, resilience & self-leadership" on a blue background.

Illustration with a checkmark symbol and text "Strengthened staff-to-student relationships" on a light blue background.

Graphic with a red check mark inside a yellow circle on a blue background, next to text saying "Shared language & sustainable culture shift" on a beige background.

The Live Big language and concepts are part of everyday conversations, enhancing the overall support system and ensuring continuity between schools.

Counselors have reported a reduced need for one-on-one support for students who participated in Live Big, giving them time to reach students who may have otherwise flown under the radar.

Connection between school staff and students have significantly improved.

The trained staff have gained confidence, resilience, and self-leadership skills for themselves, which have enriched both their professional and personal lives.

Icon with a checkmark and text "Reduced need for 1-1 support & interventions."

Marshall County Schools & Live Big Community Making Headlines

Marshall County School District’s journey with Live Big Community is a testament to what can be achieved when a community comes together with a shared vision and the right support.

The future looks promising, with a strong foundation in place for continued growth and a positive impact on student mental health and wellbeing.

Counselors finish up training for new program set to come to Marshall County Schools

Watch & Read Now

Group of students holding folders with a presentation screen behind them, related to a new program for Marshall County Schools, as reported by WPSD Local 6.

New empowering program set to come to Marshall County Schools

Watch & Read Now

The Early Data

This self-assessed student data is from small group counseling programs at Marshall County elementary and middle schools led by school counselors who were trained as part of the Live Big Guide staff training program and used the Live Big Community Curriculum

Scatter plot with box plots showing SEL index pre and post intervention, with data points and distribution lines.

68%

Students averaged a 68% increase across social-emotional skills

Scatter plot with bar graph showing self-confidence index before and after an event, with data points and bars labeled as 'Pre' and 'Post' respectively.

67%

Students averaged a 67% increase in self-efficacy & confidence skills

Scatter plot with self-regulation index, pre and post data, with overlaying bar chart, showing distribution of dots on both pre and post categories.

85%

Students averaged an 85% increase in self-regulation & resilience skills

Scatter plot with bars showing self-observation index pre and post intervention. The y-axis is labeled 'Self-observation index' ranging from -2 to 2. The x-axis has two categories: 'Pre' and 'Post'. Data points are scattered around each category, with bars and error lines indicating distribution.

56%

Students averaged a 56% increase in self-observation skills

Scatter plot with bars comparing pre and post results on self-leadership index, showing individual data points and mean values.

70%

Students averaged a 70% increase in self-leadership skills

Speech bubble saying 'I loved the lessons and how they related to all of us, letting us know we are not alone' on a pink background with an orange outline.

Speech bubble graphic with text "The candy she gives us"

Speech bubble with text: "I just wanted to have a chance to talk about my problems with people I trust."

Marshall County Students Share Why They Joined Live Big Community Programs

Speech bubble with text about group discussions on daily life

Speech bubble with text about overcoming personal problems and stress.

Speech bubble with text about relief from anxiety, anger, and stress

Speech bubble with text about self-confidence improvement.

Speech bubble with text about opening up

Speech bubble with the text "Learning the things that help me love myself more" surrounded by decorative lines and shapes.

Speech bubble with text "To get to understand myself better and cope with things"

Group of young people holding colorful "Live BIG" books, standing indoors in front of a screen displaying "B.Y.E." text.

Man wearing a white jacket with a striped tie, standing in front of a brick wall.

“Live Big has been the most impactful and engaging program for our students. The curriculum is very relevant and constantly adapting to the needs of our students. Live Big is committed to setting our district on the path to self-sustain the program through training and development of our staff.”

Dr. Steve Miracle, Former Superintendent
Marshall Country School District, Kentucky