Peace In Schools

PEACE IN SCHOOLS SUPPORTS THE WELL BEING OF YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULTS BY OFFERING TRAUMA-INFORMED MINDFULNESS INSTRUCTION, GUIDANCE AND MENTORSHIP. WE BELIEVE MINDFULNESS LEADS TO PERSONAL AND COLLECTIVE LIBERATION, SAFER SCHOOLS, HEALTHIER COMMUNITIES, AND A MORE PEACEFUL WORLD.

IN THE 2021-22 SCHOOL YEAR, PINS SERVED 8 PPS HIGH SCHOOLS. WE DELIVERED OUR FOR-CREDIT MINDFULNESS ELECTIVE CLASSES IN 7 HIGH SCHOOLS: ALLIANCE AT MEEK, CLEVELAND, GRANT, IDA B. WELLS, LINCOLN, IDA B. WELLS-BARNETT, AND ROOSEVELT. AT COMPREHENSIVE HIGH SCHOOLS, THIS CLASS IS EITHER A SEMESTER LONG OR YEAR-LONG COURSE, DEPENDING ON THE NEEDS OF THE SCHOOL. AT ALLIANCE AT MEEK HIGH SCHOOL, PINS PROGRAMMING IS PROVIDED AS AN ELECTIVE COURSE AND A SUPPLEMENTARY SUPPORT FOR INCOMING STUDENTS. AT METROPOLITAN LEARNING CENTER (MLC), WE PROVIDED A WEEKLY MINDFULNESS CLUB FOR THE SPRING 2022 SEMESTER. KEY YEAR-END OUTCOMES AND IMPACTS FOR 2021-22: -7 PPS HIGH SCHOOLS RECEIVED OUR FOR-CREDIT TEEN PROGRAMMING. -A TOTAL OF 530 UNIQUE STUDENTS COMPLETED OUR MINDFULNESS ELECTIVE CLASS, THE MOST IN-DEPTH, MINDFULNESS-BASED COURSE IN PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS NATIONALLY. -81% OF STUDENTS WOULD OVERWHELMINGLY RECOMMEND THE CLASS TO A FRIEND. -OVER 70% OF STUDENTS PRACTICED SELF-COMPASSION AND COMPASSION FOR OTHERS. -FOR BOTH SEMESTERS, OVER 80% OF STUDENTS FOUND SELF-TALK TO BE THE MOST HELPFUL COMPONENT OF CLASS. -OUR MINDFULNESS ELECTIVE CLASS CONTINUED TO SEE HIGH LEVELS OF ENROLLMENT OF LGBTQ+ STUDENTS THIS FALL; THE RESEARCH POINTS TO THIS CLASS BEING AN EFFECTIVE MENTAL HEALTH INTERVENTION FOR THIS POPULATION. -96% OF STUDENTS IN THE ELECTIVE USE THE MINDFULNESS TOOLS THAT THEY LEARNED AT LEAST ONCE/DAY. IN A SEPARATE CONTRACT THROUGH THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT, PINS CONTINUED TO SERVE PPS EDUCATORS, COUNSELORS, AND SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS THROUGH ONLINE PROGRAM OFFERINGS. WE OFFERED A MINDFULNESS FOR BURNOUT COURSE THAT WAS OFFERED TO ALL STAFF ACROSS THE MULTIPLE PATHWAYS TO GRADUATION NETWORK. PAUSE FOR PEACE, A FREE THREE-WEEK COMMUNITY EVENT,RECEIVED RECORD ENGAGEMENT, WELCOMING FOLKS NEW TO PEACE IN SCHOOLS AND LONG-STANDING MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY ALIKE. OVER 3,500 PEOPLE JOINED US IN INTERRUPTING THE DAILY GRIND EACH DAY BY TAKING A PAUSE, WHETHER AT WORK, IN THEIR CLASSROOMS, OR SOLO ON THEIR OWN TIME.