We have been very fortunate to have Shirley and her team share their love of yoga with us at Esterhazy High School.  It first started with our Warrior Football program and spread to various Physical Education classes, and then to after-school sessions for both students and staff.  Through yoga, Shirley and her team help us to be mindful and present in the moment, to listen to and appreciate our bodies, to slow our breath and just be, and to become in tune with where we hold our stress and tension.

 

Every yoga practice, we are gifted with words of wisdom and inspiration, and students and staff alike feel they leave the mat with their bodies and minds in a better place.  The messages shared focus on self-care, self-compassion , kindness to others, and gratitude.  We are so lucky to have this practice available for our students and we hope they internalize the skills learned and use them off the mat in everyday life, both now and in the future.   

 

Practicing yoga is very beneficial in the teen years where student often struggle with a negative self-image of their bodies.  Through yoga, students learn to connect with their body and see it in a different light; with love and gratitude for what it does for them and for what it can accomplish with further practice.   Our students really enjoy the yoga games, poses, and flow; and they have shared that yoga helps them relax, reduce anxiety, sleep better, and be more mindful.

 

Good Spirit School Division’s mission is Strong Foundations for Bright Futures and I truly feel the partnership we have with Shirley and her team is a gift to our students’ minds and bodies that keeps giving long after they leave the mat.  Yoga supports them to further develop foundational skills for mental wellness and resilience, and hopefully yoga is something they will continue to practice long after high school.    

 

Thank-you Shirley and team for sharing the amazing gift of yoga with us!

 

Tracy Huckell

Vice-Principal 

Esterhazy High School