Congratulations to Laura Ambrogi, lower school director of academic support services at St. Christopher’s School (United States), and Mugsy Quinn, school psychologist at St. Stithians Boys’ Preparatory School (South Africa), for winning the 2026 IBSC Action Research Award for their innovative action research projects that make a valuable contribution to the IBSC Action Research community.
Inspired by this year’s research topic, Foundations for Learning: Facilitating Boys’ Executive Function and Self-Regulation in the Classroom, both projects provide exemplary illustrations of action research in boys’ schools.
Ambrogi’s project, Purposeful Exercise, Powerful Focus, examined whether brief proprioceptive exercises improved impulse regulation in grade 4 boys, motivated by the observation that boys often struggle with impulsivity following high-energy activities. Reflecting on her research, Ambrogi said, “Throughout this action, I have been thrilled to carve out time to investigate my passion for finding boy-friendly ways to empower my students to feel calm, confident, and focused in the classroom. The project also gave me reason to dive deeper into my personal and professional interest in learning and the human brain and has truly enriched my understanding of how to support boys in ways that encourage both buy-in and reflection on their own growth.”
Quinn’s project, A Game to Tame the Brain, explored how a classroom-based breathwork intervention delivered through an innovative and engaging card game strengthened emotional regulation and supported executive functioning in grade 6 boys. Reflecting on her research, Quinn said, “Through this research, I discovered the profound impact of student-led, classroom‑based interventions. Working with boys in their classroom allowed me to reach a wider audience and helped destigmatize the role of a school-based psychologist, normalize social‑emotional learning, and highlight the value of genuine collaboration between school‑based psychologists and educators. The process reignited my passion for my work and affirmed the systemic change possible when well-being becomes a shared responsibility across the school community.”
Please join us in congratulating Ambrogi and Quinn on this well-deserved award.
Check out their research reports Purposeful Exercise, Powerful Focus and A Game to Tame the Brain in the IBSC Member Center and watch for the remaining reports for the 2026 IBSC Action Research cohort in the coming weeks.