Students are constantly put under stress throughout the school year. From exams to hours of homework each night, one could argue that students deserve some time of peace and quiet. 

Recognizing this need, North Penn high school is offering a new course dedicated to providing students with a much-needed mental and physical reset. Mindfulness and Movement, taught by Mrs. Tori Young, is an elective aimed at helping students find focus, balance, and relaxation.

“What I tried to offer are different activities. Whether they’re a physical activity or an emotional activity where we’re trying to find some type of center or reset to feel better- any margin of improvement from when I came into class to when I left class- that’s an ideal scenario,” Young explained.

The course also focuses on equipping students with strategies to manage stress and emotions outside of the classroom.

“‘Have you got anything from the course that you could use in your everyday life when you were feeling overwhelmed or stressed or angry?’ Hopefully now you have as a whole portfolio or a whole, like a toolbox of strategies,”Young added..

The activities in this class range from calming exercises like coloring and maze-solving to practices designed to improve students’ mental clarity.

“One day I took out coloring pages and everybody colored. And it feels to me like as a teacher where we’re like trying to use every minute of our time, like, and we never want to waste anybody’s time. But the value of that mental exercise that helps to clear your mind,” Young said. “Coloring is a fan favorite by the way.”

Students in the class have embraced the opportunity to try these new approaches, even if they seem unconventional.

“So far the students have been great. My takeaway is that I’m really impressed with how willing everyone is to try doing things that seem silly,” Young said.

Beyond just relaxation, this class is about personal growth.

“I think that it’s important no matter who you are and what you’re doing and what age you are and where you are in life,  to take a moment for yourself and whether it’s unique clarity- you need centering, you need calming, you need focus, whatever it is. So I hope that they benefit from having some strategies to be able to do that, and learning for themselves what works for them specifically,” Young explained.

For students looking for a calm in the storm of high school, Mindfulness and Movement might be the perfect fit.