The Power of Mindfulness

El Concilio California’s Astronaut Jose M. Hernandez Academy, an elementary school serving grades K-8, is completing their first school year as a new charter school. AJMHA is striving to provide an excellent academic and nurturing environment. This involves ensuring students are successful learning academically, plus the social emotional learning area. The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly affected students\u27 social emotional well-being, for this reason social emotional learning is a priority for schools. A lesson within social emotional learning is mindfulness. Mindfulness is a quality or state of being fully present, being conscious or aware of our surroundings, feelings and thoughts. Mindfulness most definitely is relevant and should remain in practice for schools, staff, students, and more. For this reason it should be taught beginning in elementary school, a part of the Social Emotional Learning aspect. JG Larochette encountered a challenging time as depression and anxiety overtook his personal life and job as a teacher during the high of COVID-19 pandemic. He learned about mindfulness and discovered its ability to rewire the brain into optimal mental health. Larochette shared his knowledge with students and noticed immediate changes: self-awareness, self-regulation and behavior of his students. He is now the founder of the Mindful Life Project (MLP). Through their several programs, MLP works to support mental and emotional wellness by creating connected school cultures and climates where everyone feels safe, welcomed, valued, and believed in. By presenting this program to students, they will experience benefits from various aspects of their lives. Allowing them to become more mindful will help them recognize, validate, express, and cope with their feelings. Each student will be able to become more successful in their academic and personal life