9 ⏐ Our Vision & Purpose Curiosity & Persistence Connectio渀਀ 1 to Academics Academic performance is often viewed in isolation of mental health and emotional regulation. There is however, a direct connection between the two. Social and emotional skills can aid in boosting academic achievement. Recent research suggests that curiosity and persistence are the two greatest indicators of academic success in reading and math. Focus work integrates social emotional learning into academic settings by positioning SEL beyond an isolated SEL experience or time.