Thanks to our new partners, You Call This Yoga, we were able to start a yoga program at Enloe High School!
Over the past six weeks, Y.O.G.A. for Youth classes have been offered in a pilot program at Enloe High School. We introduced yoga to the students in an enrichment program called CONCERT, which is active in several schools in Raleigh. Through CONCERT, students get extra help with schoolwork and the opportunity to try new activities – and yoga was a great fit!
Our teachers Nan and Courtney led this pilot program, teaching two classes back to back, one for girls and one for boys. They’ve shared with us what it was like to introduce yoga to this great group of students, and how well it was received:
Nan: “The first class with the young men I intentionally made a bit more challenging . Coming in they felt this was a class for girls, by the end of that first class one young man said, ‘Man, I’m sweatin’ and I hardly ever sweat.’ I eased up after that class, didn’t want to discourage them or hurt their pride. 😉 They got it that yoga can be a strength building activity and not only for flexible people, or girls.”
Courtney: “They also spoke about mediation and how it made them feel during and after. On several occasions we heard from students how they wanted to explore mediation more and do it for a longer period of time. They said it made them feel ‘light, less stressed, calm, like they were floating and free.’ One of the most rewarding things was when a student would come back the next week and tell you about how one of the meditations helped them control their anger and stress.”
Nan: “By the 3rd class they learned how to move into stillness, by using long deep breathing, alternate nostril and sa ta na ma. The students said that they felt like they were floating. Amari said it helped her with anger and stress. We talked about the right and left hemispheres of the brain, the exercises creating balance in the brain.”
Courtney: “One week, a young lady happily led the group in frog pose. On another occasion a young man volunteered to teach the group warrior! For a Teacher there is no greater reward or measurement of success than when something you have taught can then be taught back to you by one of your students! It happened at Enloe– not once but many times!”
Nan: “The students saw how balance poses made you focus. We talked about talking yoga off the mat and into life or the classroom. From the feedback I received they loved the classes. They liked relaxing and stretching the most. Everyone said yoga made them feel good and peaceful, and relaxed. They all loved shavasana and the guided meditation at the end of class… Basically the kids liked the classes and the ones that kept coming back were ready and open to receive the information. Some may have come for the exercise and for the relaxation but in between instilled some deeper concepts.”
Courtney: “I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to teach and get to know these wonderful young adults. Week after week they filled me up with their energy, enthusiasm and willingness to explore yoga techniques and principles they had never heard of or tried before… The students both boys and girls were respectful and engaged and did everything we taught with an openness and great enthusiasm.”