They said it ...
"YES! helped me to control my hot temper. Usually I would snap, but I learned to
control it." - Keith, 18
"My experience in this course was learning how to calm myself down when I'm upset
and how to walk away from people. I also had a great time learning how to clear
my mind, and making new friends without being scared to say something to that person."
- Sylvia, 16
"I learned how to control my anger. I learned that by nature I am non-violent and
violence isn't needed to survive. I also learned to socialize better and about five
factors that will help me in life. Thanks!" - Tyrone, 14
"I liked the techniques because they helped me to stay awake in class." - Daniel,
15
"YES! is a wonderful stress reliever. It relaxes and soothes me. I feel like I could
never be sad again. It's a great way to bring happiness to people's lives." - Austin,
13
“The program for high school students, the Youth Empowerment Seminar (YES!) has
had an equally positive impact. Students have shared with me how much more relaxed
they feel, and how the techniques have helped them do homework with greater efficiency.
Many say it has helped them with test anxiety, as well as given them tools to deal
with their negative emotions. They all seemed to enjoy the program and many continue
to use the techniques on their own. I have seen an increase in confidence as well
as abilities to prioritize as a result of the program.”
- Phillip Weinberg, Principal,
HSTAT, NYC, NY
Our recent success stories
- The Florida Dept. of Education funds a 3-year YES! Program through the Safe Schools
Healthy Students Initiative (SSHS) to promote academic progress and reduce violence
and absenteeism
- New York City YES! Program offered as alternative credit for health, gym, and
wellness classes in two public schools for health, gym, and wellness classes in
two public schools.
- YES! Program taught to entire Terrebonne Parish Juvenile Detention Facility in
Houma, Louisiana, bringing overall sense of calm and decrease in violent incidents
to the facility.
A little backgrounder
Talk to high school educators, parents, and youth workers and they will all tell
you that a vast majority of high school students today are walking around with so
much stress that it’s difficult to focus on their school work. In its most
extreme form, this stress finds expression in violence … directed towards
themselves as suicide or towards others as fighting, bullying or school shootings.
After the Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois University shootings, IAHV offered
free trauma and stress relief programs to students and faculty. The obvious thought
that passed through everyone’s head was that it was a little too late. What
if specific tools which equip students to deal with their stress were given as a
part of their basic educational program?
Enter the Youth Empowerment Seminar (YES!) program. It answers the need of today’s
schools by attending to the stress in young people and giving them effective tools
to take responsibility for the direction of their own lives.
How does the YES! program work?
The YES! program combines vital life-skills education with powerful, practical breath-based
tools to physiologically reduce stress and calm the mind. Students learn how a few
minutes of breathing in specific patterns each day can give them:
- greater mental clarity
- improved ability to focus on their school work
- a clearer idea of their purpose in life
- improved relationships with others
They learn how to manage their own emotions rather than having their emotions manage
them and understand the working of their own mind, so they can navigate the chaotic
influences of modern day society. They learn a positive alternative to dealing with
stress rather than commonly used methods such as alcohol, drugs, violence and unsafe
sex.
The YES! Program combines Social Emotional Learning (SEL) and Character Development
(CD) which emphasize the importance of cultivating human values such as compassion,
caring, respect, gratitude, friendliness, honesty, integrity, enthusiasm, commitment,
and responsibility
A unique approach
What sets YES! apart from other programs is the physiological transformation that
it’s unique breathing techniques offer. These physiological changes result
from changes in body chemistry, such as reduced cortisol levels. Qualities such
as:
- a calm quiet state of mind
- greater mental focus
- greater energy
- better sleep
... occur naturally as a result of these physiological changes.
The results are in!
YES! students immediately saw a positive effect on their social and emotional well
being, increased success in school work, and the difference it makes in the overall
quality of their lives.
Most notably:
- Reduction in student stress
- Greater ability to manage negative emotions and trauma
- Increased mental clarity
- Improvement in study skills and test scores
- Development of leadership skills
- Taking greater personal and social responsibility
Get involved -- it's time for action!
Join hands for Yogathon 2009 and support the effort to bring the YES! Program to our high schools. Not only are you participating in a fun and healthy community experience but you're also helping make Stress-Free Violence-Free Schools a reality for so many teenagers.
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