Mindfulness and Yoga in Schools A Guide for Teachers and Practitioners

CHAPTER 13: SCHool-BASEd YogA PRogRAMS • 313

TABlE 13.1 Additional Yoga Programs for Schools and Youth (continued )

(continued )

Program WebPage brief DescriPtion

The

Connection

Coalition

theconnection

coaltion.org

The Connection Coalition (CoCo) is a non-profit

organization, formerly known as Yoga Gangsters, that

works in collaboration with youth organizations to

provide access to tools that help calm the nervous

system and aid in better decision making (i.e., yoga,

mindfulness, and meditation). Founded by Terri Cooper,

CoCo offers programs in schools, shelters, jails, foster

homes, rehabilitation centers, and more (grades K–12).

The program offers a weekend certification yoga teacher

training in trauma-informed outreach that covers trauma,

speaking authentically, sequencing, lesson plans, and

practice teaching, as well as issues of privilege and access.

The Newark

Yoga

Movement

http://www.newarkyoga

movement.org

The Newark Yoga Movement is a non-profit, founded

by Debby Kaminsky, committed to bringing life skills

to students through the practice of yoga, breathing,

and centering at their schools. Servicing grades pre-K

to 12, yoga is offered to students at least two times

per month. The program integrates into the school

schedule with certified yoga teachers and volunteers

using yoga to enhance required curriculum. The

program also provides continued education, professional

development, and teacher support, and utilizes

community outreach.

The Sean

O’Shea

Foundation

seanoshea

foundation.org

The Sean O’Shea Foundation supports San Diego and Los

Angeles youth (ages 8 to 18) to develop skills that support

them to take responsibility for their lives, develop respect

for themselves and others, and have confidence in their

own potential. They offer CALM (i.e., chair-based activities

for learning mindfulness) kids training for school teachers

and professionals working with children, yoga for athletes,

and a yoga and nutrition program for schools with at-risk

students, programs for pregnant teens and teen parents,

and yoga and meditation for kids with cancer and their

families.

The Sonima

Foundation

sonimafoundation

.org

The Sonima Foundation, now called Pure Edge:

Success Through Focus, trains local educators to teach

the Sonima Health and Wellness Curriculum in public

schools. It works in partnership with school districts,

academic research institutions, and government entities

to help develop policies that make health and wellness

an essential component of the educational system.

They actively support research in the assessment,

measurement, and documentation of the benefits of their

program. The program includes yoga-based exercises,

mindfulness practice, and nutrition education. Research

includes Hagins and Rundle (2016) and Wang and

Hagins (2016).