Benjamin Logan Elementary Principal Colleen Bodin was recently notified that the school’s $1,500 mini grant through Mental Health Drug and Alcohol Service Board of Logan and Champaign Counties will be fully funded for an upcoming project designed to build upon positive mental health through the use of yoga mats.
Adam Sorensen, MHDAS director of treatment and recovery services, said the MHDAS received a record number of mini-grants during their most recent application period. The agency had $9,000 available for all grants, and a total of 15 applications were received with a total ask of over $40,000, so the grant committee had to be very selective.
Mrs. Bodin has been working on her yoga certification through locally owned Homegrown Yoga and plans to share her love of yoga with BLES students. In the upcoming months, approximately 632 students will have the opportunity to be impacted by the yoga mats at Benjamin Logan Elementary School during their physical education class.
Yoga and mindfulness have been shown to offer psychological benefits for children which can help students improve their memory, focus, self-esteem, and reduce anxiety and stress.
“The purpose of this project is to create an environment in which our students learn how to practice yoga to grow their balance, strength, endurance and aerobic capacity,” said Tiann Harner, BLES physical education teacher.