June 4, 2018 – In 2016, the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences published a collective review of research specifically focused on yoga in schools. According to the results, yoga “is a viable and potentially efficacious strategy for improving child and adolescent health and therefore worthy of continued research,” with students reporting less stress as well as improvements in mood and emotion-regulation.
Prairie View A&M University’s Extension Agent for 4-H and Youth Development in Fort Bend County collaborated with The Institute of Spirituality and Health and Baylor College of Medicine to instruct a 12-week yoga course at DeBakey High School for Health Professions. Over the twelve weeks, the agent taught six classes covering breathing techniques, asanas (yoga poses), and meditation.
Beginning in February, the county agent provided an hour-long yoga session for more than 40 students from diverse backgrounds-Asian, Middle Eastern, African, African American, and Hispanic. The students learned the importance of yoga practices, how it leads to healthy living habits and relieve everyday stressors from school and life. The course earned recognition from The Texas Medical Center newsletter, The Pulse. Students reported the sessions helped them develop and improve coping skills for healthy living.
This work was supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture 1890 Extension Formula/Evans-Allen 1890 Research Formula Program projects under Section 1444 and Section 1445.
Amber Foster
4-H and Youth Development Fort Bend County Extension Agent
amfoster@pvamu.edu
(281) 342-3034