Spef Grant for mindfulness

"The Mindfulness program grows out of a seed SPEF planted at Marengo Elementary School a few years ago. Teachers there had obtained a direct grant from SPEF to fund an eight-week mindfulness initiative, which had a special instructor come in twice a week to lead 15- to 20-minute sessions on such mindfulness activities as focusing on ones breathing, on sounds and on thoughts. The point was to give students tools that help them reduce anxiety, improve focus and heighten empathy by helping them to better identify, talk about and cope with their emotions.
 
The effort was so well received and effective, the district sought to expand it. And now with a $45,540 grant from SPEF, the district expects to bring the mindfulness curriculum right away to 45 classrooms across all elementary schools, and to 54 classrooms in 2019-20. It's a timely effort, considering the surge in children being diagnosed with anxiety." 

Fellow Mindfulness educator, Christine Chin and I will be teaching the curriculum to students in grades K-5. I am so grateful to be apart of this process.

When I began my courses on Mindfulness, I knew that I was meant to bring this to children. I would have loved to have had mindfulness lessons when I was a child. The benefits that I have gained as an adult have been tremendous. I truly believe that planting these seeds at an early age can do wonders for the well-being of our youth today.

Thank you to SPEF for funding this grant!