Solon High School students came back to school to find a new initiative called mindful minute, intended to help them cope with their mental health. Mindful minute is meant to be a stress reduction strategy. This program follows the Wellness Friday program from last year. Like last year, administrators and staff are working to make every student feel at home at Solon High School.

Teachers are taking a few minutes during the start of each class to practice this strategy. They are doing breathing exercises with the whole class, showing inspirational videos, and presenting calm sceneries to students. This is being done so that students can take a minute to relax and forget everything that bothers them. Melissa Fitzgerald, a health and yoga teacher at Solon High School, explained why the mindfulness initiative should become a part of our daily activities.

“Just like showering and brushing our teeth daily is a critical part of our physical self care, mindfulness is an important piece of our daily mental health care,” Fitzgerald said. “Mental, physical and social health are all connected, and it is important to take care of each part of the triangle for well-being.”

Student facilitator and independent social worker Jodie Lurie feels that the mindfulness initiative has naturally helped many students in plenty of different types of ways.

“I think it’s incredible, it is extremely necessary and beneficial,” Lurie said. “People have started to practice mindfulness, making it more natural to practice. I feel that this new mindfulness initiative will help students and staff to hopefully take it out and use it outside of school as well because it’s something that can be used for their lifetime.”

Fitzgerald shared some ideas that are helping students in becoming mindful and allowing them to deal with their life when it gets stressful.

“One easy way that helps me is to start the day with a simple grounding exercise: when you wake up, think of 2-3 things you are grateful for and why,” Fitzgerald said. “The why is key. The second suggestion is to find some time to just be. Even one minute to be off technology and just breathe. The breath is the remote control to our brains and a few simple breaths can reset our nervous system. My third suggestion is to connect. Spend a few minutes engaging in a conversation with someone at school and truly listen. We need a positive human connection.”

Senior Hayley Hunter says the new changes at Solon High School are making her feel positive and happy once again.

“At the beginning of class, we get to relax and forget everything for a few minutes,” Hunter said. “It is making me grow as an individual and I believe that the idea of focusing on our mental health should never stop, instead it should grow.”

Fitzgerald explains the meaning of mindfulness and takes the time to acknowledge everything the school is doing for us.

“Mindfulness and self-care is a journey, not a destination,” Fitzgerald said. “I am proud that the Solon City school district is prioritizing the well-being of both their students and staff.”