Meet the Founder

Melissa Redding is an education leader, program developer, and author of the Dior's Discovery book series.

For over 20 years, she has worked alongside students, families, and educators — supporting learning, development, and partnerships in education.

From youth development in nonprofit and faith-based organizations to corporate early education and public school leadership, Melissa has served across every level of the educational landscape. Her work is grounded in one conviction: capacity is built through character.

She has spent two decades inside educational spaces, close enough to see what girls carry and what they need. What she noticed, over and over, was that when girls are given structured space to discover identity, support to regulate their emotions, and skills to grow into their own voice — something shifts. Not because someone fixed them. Because someone finally made room.

Girls flourish when they feel seen, heard, and equipped with the tools to lead themselves.

That is what The Discovery Studio™ was built to do.

Drawing on her background in mentorship, literacy, and her belief in the combined power of social-emotional learning and executive function skills, Melissa designed The Discovery Studio Framework™ and the CAFÉ Model to give girls in grades 4–8 that space. With structure. With story. With intention.

Smart Choices. Confident Voices. Strong Character.

Dior's Discovery book series

Our Mission

The Discovery Studio™ exists to build capacity through the cultivation of character.

For over 20 years, our founder has worked alongside students, families, and educators — and one truth has remained constant: when girls are given structured space to know themselves, regulate themselves, and believe in themselves, everything else becomes possible.

Through The Discovery Studio Framework™ and the CAFÉ Model, we equip girls in grades 4–8 with the executive function skills, communication strength, and internal discipline that support academic, social, and personal growth — not by adding more to who they are, but by drawing out what's already there.

Evidence-Informed Design

The Discovery Studio™ is a research-informed enrichment program designed to strengthen social-emotional competencies and executive function skills in students ages 9–14. Grounded in established research from the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) and developmental science on executive function, the program integrates structured reflection, literacy-connected activities, and project-based application to reinforce self-awareness, self-management, responsible decision-making, and independent learning habits.

Initially piloted with girls and designed for scalability, The Discovery Studio complements existing school-based SEL efforts while supporting whole-student development. The program is intended to reinforce the cognitive and character-based skills associated with academic persistence, identity development, and long-term student success.

¹ Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), “What Does the Research Say?”

² Harvard University, Center on the Developing Child, Executive Function research summaries.

Your Questions, Answered

  • Discovery Studio is designed for girls ages 9–14 (upper elementary through middle school).

  • Very little. Discovery Studio is designed to be low-lift for your team. We bring the curriculum, materials, and facilitation. Your school provides a consistent meeting space and a designated group of students. A school liaison or afterschool lead is welcome to observe sessions at any time. We handle everything else.

  • The 4-session pilot is offered complimentary to select school partners. In exchange, we ask for a brief feedback conversation at the close of the pilot and participant input that helps us continue refining the program. Extended programs — including the 8-Week Mentorship Experience and the School-Year Partnership Model — are available at partnership pricing. We are committed to working with schools and districts to structure agreements that align with your budget and program goals. Contact us to start the conversation.

  • All Discovery Studio sessions are facilitated by Melissa Redding, founder of The Discovery Studio and author of the Dior's Discovery book series. Melissa brings a background in mentorship, curriculum design, literacy integration, and character-based development. Her facilitation style is structured yet conversational — designed to meet girls where they are, draw out authentic participation, and create a space where every student feels seen and capable. As the program grows, all Discovery Studio facilitators are trained directly within The Capacity Through Character™ Model to ensure consistency and quality across every school partnership.

  • Discovery Studio sessions are designed to be affirming and reflective, not therapeutic. Facilitators are not licensed counselors and do not function in that capacity. All activities are structured to invite sharing at a level of comfort each student chooses — no girl is required to disclose anything personal. In the event that a student shares something that raises a concern, Discovery Studio follows the school's established reporting and response protocols. We defer to and coordinate with your designated school staff in all such situations. Prior to launching any pilot or partnership, we align directly with school administration on procedures to ensure student safety and appropriate support.

  • Each Discovery Studio session runs 60 minutes and follows a consistent four-part structure designed to balance connection, content, and application:

    Connection Before Content — A warm-up prompt that invites girls to engage authentically before the lesson begins.

    Activate Wellbeing — A structured share-aloud activity where students feel seen and heard at a level of their choosing.

    Weekly Focus — Core content delivered through guided discussion, storytelling, and reflection — not lecture.

    Group Activity or Written Reflection — Collaborative or individual work that deepens and personalizes the session theme.

    This structure is consistent across every session, which helps girls build routine, trust, and confidence over the course of the program.

  • Discovery Studio is structured around The Capacity Through Character™ Model. We focus on cultivating internal discipline and executive function systems, culminating in a Capstone Project-Based Application that demonstrates applied growth.

  • The Discovery Studio™ is a research-informed enrichment program designed to strengthen social-emotional competencies and executive function skills in students ages 9–14. Grounded in established research from CASEL and developmental psychology, the program integrates structured reflection, literacy-connected activities, and project-based application to reinforce self-awareness, self-management, responsible decision-making, and independent learning habits. Initially piloted with girls and designed for scalability, The Discovery Studio complements existing school-based SEL efforts while supporting whole-student development. The program aims to equip students with the cognitive and character-based skills necessary for academic persistence, healthy identity formation, and long-term success.

  • Discovery Studio is character-centered and developmentally grounded. While its foundation is values-driven, programs are structured to partner effectively within public, private, and community school settings.

  • Yes. We offer 4-week pilot experiences as well as extended mentorship and school-year partnership models.