More US Schools Are Taking Breaks for Meditation

A class of third-grade students in the American state of Georgia had just a few days left until summer vacation would begin. And lunchtime was only an hour away.

But the children, who attend Roberta T. Smith Elementary School in the city of Rex, were in no hurry to leave. They were ready for one of their favorite parts of the day.

The children closed their eyes and moved their thumbs from their foreheads down to their hearts. “Listen to the chimes,” said the teacher, Kim Franklin. “Remember to breathe.”

Across the country, schools like Smith Elementary have been introducing mental health sessions that include yoga, meditation and mindfulness exercises. Students do these exercises in addition to traditional math, reading and science classes.

Mindfulness alongside math

More American students have faced mental health struggles following the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2023, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that more than one-third of students were affected by feelings of long-term sadness and hopelessness. The agency suggested schools use mindfulness practices to help students deal with their stress and emotions.

“We know that our teenagers and adolescents have really strained in their mental health,” CDC Director Dr. Mandy Cohen told The Associated Press. “There are real skills that we can give our teens to make sure that they are coping with some big emotions.”

Poor communities need more help

Research has found that school-based mindfulness programs can help, especially in poor communities where students face higher levels of stress.

GreenLight Fund Atlanta helps school systems in the state of Georgia pay for a mindfulness program called Inner Explorer. That is the program used at Smith Elementary, where more than two-thirds of students are Black.

Joli Cooper is GreenLight Fund Atlanta's executive director. Cooper said it was important to the group to support communities of color in the area.

“When you look at the numbers, unfortunately, in Georgia, the number of children of color with suicidal thoughts and success is quite high,” Cooper said. “When you look at the number of psychologists available for these children, there are not enough psychologists of color.”

Information from the CDC shows that Black youth have the fastest-growing suicide rate among racial groups. Between 2007 and 2020, the suicide rate among Black children and teens between the ages of 10 to 17 increased by 144 percent.

Nationwide, children in schools that serve mostly students of color have less access to mental health professionals than children in schools that serve mostly white students.

The Inner Explorer program guides students and teachers through five-to-10-minute sessions of breathing, meditation and reflection several times a day. The program is used at over 100 school systems across the U.S.

Teachers and administrators say they have noticed a difference in their students since they've added mindfulness into their daily activities.

Nine-year-old Aniyah Woods is a student in Kim Franklin's class at Smith Elementary. Aniyah said the program has helped her “calm down” and “not stress anymore.” She added, “It made me feel peaceful.”

Malachi Smith, also 9, has used his exercises at home. His father helps guide him through meditation.

“You can relax... and when I calm myself down, I realize I am an excellent scholar,” Malachi said.

I'm Anna Matteo.

Sharon Johnson reported this story for The Associated Press. Hai Do adapted the story for Learning English.

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chime - n. sound made by a set of bells

adolescent - n. young person

strain - v. to injure by too much tension

psychologist - n. a scientist who specializes in the study and treatment of the mind and behavior

reflection - n. careful thought about something

scholar - n. an intelligent and well-educated person