With the coronavirus striking the nation, a typical school year was out of the question for many. This led students everywhere to face a great amount of stress and anxiety. Teenagers, especially, seek answers to relieve the overwhelming nature of the current school year. Alden High School has instilled the practice of mindfulness into their students for years, but with this year being extra stressful, AHS kicked it up a notch.  

This year, Alden High School added a mindfulness class to their wide range of courses. Mindfulness is a mental state you reach while focusing on being present in the moment. The class teaches students to be mindful throughout their entire day and manage their feelings in a healthy way. Students practice breathing exercises, watch beneficial videos, communicate, and learn useful tactics to handle their stress and anxiety. 

Mrs. Tanner teaches the mindfulness course offered at AHS. Students are inspired by her positivity and love for teaching this course. 

With the first semester concluding, we decided to get some input on how the class went from Mrs. Tanner and some of her students.

Mindfulness students also participated in the Ving Project where they had the opportunity to win $1,000 to help someone in need. Six students in Mrs. Tanner’s class won!

In talking to students, it became very clear that this class has left a lasting impact on them. They have learned incredibly beneficial lessons that they will carry with them for the rest of their lives.

The same goes for Mrs. Tanner, who expressed her love for this course as well as her students.

“I felt like when we left, we all could see that we are capable,” she said, “and that we’re not only the creators of our lives, but we’re the masterpieces too.”