Local seventh and eighth graders recently explored health and happiness through mindfulness and social-emotional learning during a Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES Honors Program workshop.
Sherri Spina, a social-emotional learning/mindfulness consultant, guided participants in a hands-on workshop that focused on creating a mindfulness tool belt with strategies and techniques to develop social and emotional competencies and improve overall mental and physical well-being through experiential learning, Herkimer BOCES Honors Program Coordinator Deborah Schoff said.
“The participants were engaged throughout the entire program,” Schoff said. “Spina used a variety of teaching methods and related well to the students. She quickly created a learning environment that made students feel comfortable and confident enough to practice the skills taught.”
Students from the school districts of Central Valley, Dolgeville, Herkimer, Little Falls, Owen D. Young and Poland participated in the workshop on Thursday, Oct. 30, at the Herkimer BOCES Gateway Center.
“Students particularly enjoyed the make-and-take tools and working together to reteach skills and strategies learned throughout the day,” Schoff said. “At the close of the workshop, students could easily identify at least one strategy that worked for them.”