At the start of this new school year, most educators' attention will be split between attending to students' social and developmental well-being and overcoming pandemic-driven lack of engagement in learning. When these two goals are addressed in tandem, students can be exposed to new challenges and experiences. This article explores how a combination of social-emotional learning (SEL) and learner-centered education programs such as the project-based Destination Imagination (DI) Team Challenge Experience, can make a difference for students. In the DI Challenge competition, students work together to solve an open-ended, STEAM-based challenge and then present their solution at a local tournament.