YMJ MW kTNYWGQNXII$ - Mindful Kids Miami · 2018. 3. 7. · The Miami Herald, 2017-01-26 Cropped...
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The Miami Herald, 2017-01-26 Cropped page Page: 5NE Copyright 2016 Olive Software 2017-06-23 16:26:05 THURSDAY JANUARY 26 2017 NEIGHBORS 5NE MIAMIHERALD.COM Miami-Dade County Public Schools Superin- tendent Alberto Carvalho will be honored Thursday by Mindful Kids Miami during the group’s first Ambassador of Mindful- ness luncheon. Mindful Kids Miami is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of children by giving them access to mindful- ness skills. The organiza- tion is honoring Carvalho for his support of providing mindfulness training to more than 200 educators from 100 schools during the 2015-16 school year. “Mindfulness is a re- search-based approach, that allows students to be reflective, meditate, find themselves and their thoughts, and then allows that moment to be shared with others,” said Carval- ho, who will receive his award at the Rusty Pelican restaurant in Key Biscayne. Mindfulness is the delib- erate cultivation of mo- ment-to-moment attention and awareness, also known as “being in the present moment.” Educators who voluntarily complete the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program, an eight-week course provid- ed by Mindful Kids Miami, can incorporate mindful- ness exercises into the class curriculum as they see fit. Through teacher-led mediation and engaging breathing exercises, stu- dents learn to regulate their emotions, with the purpose of reducing im- pulsive behavior, stress, hostility and attention- deficit issues. The mindful- ness exercises also feature a component of kindness and empathy for the stu- dents to internalize and practice. Dr. Rosa Inguanzo, an advanced-placement Span- ish literature teacher at Miami Senior High School, practices mindful exercises with her students often. “I try to incorporate the exercises seamlessly into my lectures,” Inguanzo said. “Sometimes at the start of class, or before a test, or towards the end of class, as long as we com- plete them without taking away from lecture time.” Children who are ex- posed consistently to the mindfulness practice re- spond well to the program and tend to request it when not exercised as often. “I’ve been doing it for two years now,” said Ariel Trueva, an 11th grader who is one of Iguanzo’s stu- dents. “Mindfulness has supported me mentally and helps me alleviate the stress that I have from both academic and extracurric- ular activities.” Several other supporters also will be recognized at the luncheon, including Principal Shelley Stroleny of G.W. Carver Middle School and student coun- selor Maria Elena Diaz de Villega of Miami Senior High. Stroleny, who serves on the board of directors for Mindful Kids Miami, describes mindfulness as a skill that students can de- velop. “Today, life is hectic, there is so much ‘noise,’ that if you can learn to calm yourself down and focus, you can experience life fuller and be more effective, and this is a skill,” Stroleny said. “It is a skill that students can learn, and it makes them better because you stop yourself from getting fraz- zled.” Diaz de Villega, who is set to retire at the end of this school year, wants to spend her retirement as a part of the Mindful Kids Miami program. “I want to keep on doing mindfulness and train the teachers,” she said. Miami-Dade Public Schools is the third-largest school system in the coun- try. Carvalho believes it is essential to expand the mindfulness program in schools throughout Miami. The mindfulness pro- gram is a viable and low- cost solution to reduce stress and anxiety for both educators and students alike. Also, parents have been open and supportive of the program because they have seen the results, he said. MIAMI-DADE SCHOOLS Schools chief to be honored as ‘Ambassador of Mindfulness’ FELIPE RIVAS [email protected] Counselor Maria Elena Diaz de Villega in her office at Miami Senior High School. She will be honored on Thursday during the group Mindful Kids Miami’s first ‘Ambassador of Mindfulness’ luncheon. FELIPE RIVAS [email protected] 11th grade students Ariel Trueva and Keeilyn Vicente stretch and control their breathing as part of a mindfulness exercise directed by Dr. Rosa Inguanzo at Miami Senior High School. BY FELIPE RIVAS [email protected]
Transcript of YMJ MW kTNYWGQNXII$ - Mindful Kids Miami · 2018. 3. 7. · The Miami Herald, 2017-01-26 Cropped...
The Miami Herald, 2017-01-26 Cropped page Page: 5NE
Copyright 2016 Olive Software 2017-06-23 16:26:05
Page: NE_News_4, Pub. date: Thursday, January 26 Last user: [email protected]: 1st Section, zone: , NE Last change at: 16:40:50 January 24
THURSDAY JANUARY 26 2017 NEIGHBORS 5NEMIAMIHERALD.COM
Miami-Dade CountyPublic Schools Superin-tendent Alberto Carvalhowill be honored Thursdayby Mindful Kids Miamiduring the group’s firstAmbassador of Mindful-ness luncheon.
Mindful Kids Miami is anonprofit organizationdedicated to improving thelives of children by givingthem access to mindful-ness skills. The organiza-tion is honoring Carvalhofor his support of providingmindfulness training tomore than 200 educatorsfrom 100 schools duringthe 2015-16 school year.
“Mindfulness is a re-search-based approach,that allows students to bereflective, meditate, findthemselves and theirthoughts, and then allowsthat moment to be sharedwith others,” said Carval-ho, who will receive hisaward at the Rusty Pelicanrestaurant in Key Biscayne.
Mindfulness is the delib-erate cultivation of mo-ment-to-moment attentionand awareness, also knownas “being in the presentmoment.” Educators whovoluntarily complete theMindfulness-Based StressReduction program, aneight-week course provid-ed by Mindful Kids Miami,can incorporate mindful-
ness exercises into theclass curriculum as theysee fit.
Through teacher-ledmediation and engagingbreathing exercises, stu-dents learn to regulatetheir emotions, with thepurpose of reducing im-pulsive behavior, stress,hostility and attention-deficit issues. The mindful-ness exercises also featurea component of kindnessand empathy for the stu-dents to internalize andpractice.
Dr. Rosa Inguanzo, anadvanced-placement Span-ish literature teacher atMiami Senior High School,practices mindful exerciseswith her students often.
“I try to incorporate theexercises seamlessly intomy lectures,” Inguanzosaid. “Sometimes at thestart of class, or before atest, or towards the end ofclass, as long as we com-plete them without takingaway from lecture time.”
Children who are ex-posed consistently to themindfulness practice re-spond well to the programand tend to request it whennot exercised as often.
“I’ve been doing it fortwo years now,” said ArielTrueva, an 11th grader whois one of Iguanzo’s stu-dents. “Mindfulness hassupported me mentally andhelps me alleviate thestress that I have from bothacademic and extracurric-
ular activities.”Several other supporters
also will be recognized atthe luncheon, includingPrincipal Shelley Strolenyof G.W. Carver MiddleSchool and student coun-selor Maria Elena Diaz deVillega of Miami SeniorHigh. Stroleny, who serveson the board of directorsfor Mindful Kids Miami,describes mindfulness as askill that students can de-velop.
“Today, life is hectic,there is so much ‘noise,’that if you can learn tocalm yourself down andfocus, you can experiencelife fuller and be moreeffective, and this is askill,” Stroleny said. “It is askill that students canlearn, and it makes thembetter because you stopyourself from getting fraz-zled.”
Diaz de Villega, who isset to retire at the end ofthis school year, wants tospend her retirement as apart of the Mindful KidsMiami program. “I want tokeep on doing mindfulness
and train the teachers,”she said.
Miami-Dade PublicSchools is the third-largestschool system in the coun-try. Carvalho believes it isessential to expand the
mindfulness program inschools throughout Miami.
The mindfulness pro-gram is a viable and low-cost solution to reducestress and anxiety for botheducators and students
alike. Also, parents havebeen open and supportiveof the program becausethey have seen the results,he said.
MIAMI-DADE SCHOOLS
Schools chiefto be honoredas ‘Ambassadorof Mindfulness’
FELIPE RIVAS [email protected]
Counselor Maria Elena Diaz de Villega in her office at Miami Senior High School. She will be honored on Thursday duringthe group Mindful Kids Miami’s first ‘Ambassador of Mindfulness’ luncheon.
FELIPE RIVAS [email protected]
11th grade students Ariel Trueva and Keeilyn Vicente stretch and control their breathing aspart of a mindfulness exercise directed by Dr. Rosa Inguanzo at Miami Senior High School.
BY FELIPE [email protected]
