Classroom mindfulness program launches in Charlotte

GREENLIGHT FUND

GreenLight Fund has invested in an audio-guided mindfulness program for students, teachers and administrators in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.

A new mental health support program for students, teachers and administrators has allies in Charlotte.

GreenLight Fund Charlotte made a multiple-year investment in Inner Explorer, an audio-guided mindfulness program for classrooms. Over the summer, Massachusetts-based Inner Explorer rolled out a pilot program that reached more than 1,500 K-5 students on Charlotte-Mecklenburg campuses.  Program partners include Dottie Rose Foundation, International House, Youth Meditation, and National Black Child Development Institute.

Implementation is underway with plans to reach 25,000 students in the 2023-24 academic year.

“In a study conducted in two schools over an entire school year which included 378 students, there were statistically significant differences found in academic growth rates over time between students who received the Inner Explorer mindfulness-based program and those who did not,” Richard G. Lambert, Ph.D., a UNC Charlotte professor said in a statement. “Children who participated in the program made greater gains over time across several measures of academic success. In particular, there was a 9.6% difference in the growth rate for students with disabilities in the treatment group as compared to students with disabilities in their control group counterparts.”

A year-long study by GreenLight Charlotte’s Selection Advisory Council identified youth mental well-being was an opportunity area for the partnership. The investment comes as the need for access to preventative mental health resources for children, especially in low-income communities has spiked. A 2021 report by the American Psychological Association indicates 81% of teens age 13-17 experienced more intense stress during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Black children experience the reality of structural racism and inequities in their daily lives, some of which occur in the very places that should protect, promote, and preserve them, such as school building,” said Dr. Devonya Govan-Hunt, president of the Charlotte affiliate of National Black Child Development Institute. The implementation of mindfulness practice can be an extra layer of protection for children and adults in school and at home.”

Students and teachers will be able to access the free daily mindful awareness program. Families can also access a mobile app and practice mindful awareness at home with their children. Inner Explorer, which reaches more than 2 million students across the country, is available to students in both English and Spanish.

“North Carolina ranks 42nd for the prevalence of mental illness among youth, and 38th for access to care among all 50 states,” said Sam Smith Jr., GreenLight Fund Charlotte’s executive director. “We recognized
that, though there will never be enough counselors, advocates and/or resources in our schools to tackle the rising mental health crisis, implementing a self-guided program such as Inner Explorer brings an innovative, evidence-based approach to improve student outcomes and overall well-being.”

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