Developing Gritty Kids
The grit movement is relatively recent in the education world, but the Elks have been developing gritty kids through the Hoop Shoot for more than 40 years.

Grit is the will to persevere in the face of long odds.

The grit movement started a few years ago when psychologist Angela Duckworth studied people in challenging situations, including National Spelling Bee participants, rookie teachers in tough neighborhoods, and West Point cadets. Her research suggested that grit was a more accurate predictor of success than social intelligence, good looks, physical health, or IQ. Duckworth explains the premise in this short Ted Talk.

Through the Hoop Shoot program, we've been developing and reinforcing grit for more than 40 years--long before researchers and experts concluded that grit is so important for our children. Just listen to the parents and contestants in this video. They’re talking about grit.

Our #TrueGritTuesdays series tells the story of how the program develops grit through the eyes of the participants and their parents. Check out the six films below!


We can also teach children about grit by sharing stories with them. For that reason, we're featuring Elks who exemplify grit. Learn more here. Email us at enf@elks.org to recommend an Elk to feature or to share your story.

Ice Cream and the Rocky Road Back

Check out this blog post for the nitty-gritty on the film.

Father of the Man

Check out this blog post for the nitty-gritty on the film.

Preparation Meets Opportunity

Check out this blog post for the nitty-gritty on the film.

A Real Cool Hand

Check out this blog post for the nitty-gritty on the film.

All in the Elks Family

Check out this blog post for the nitty-gritty on the film.

My Sister's Footsteps

Check out this blog post for the nitty-gritty on the film.