Team Three from the Leadership Green Bay Class of 2018 recently unveiled a room at Washington Middle School that focuses on mindfulness practices.
In times of stress and anxiety, the mindfulness room offers students the opportunity to calm down, clear their minds, reset, and return back to class for a successful day of learning. The room offers flexible furniture, a weighted blanket, stress relieving tools and more. Staff members are also welcome to utilize the room.
The Leadership Green Bay team took a three-armed approach to incorporating mindfulness practices into Washington Middle School: 1) renovate a physical space for mindfulness activities; 2) create a strategy for professional development, training and program for teachers and staff; and 3) plan for a systematic integration of the tools. With the help and support of numerous community sponsors, advocates and donors, the first arm of the project is complete. The group exceeded its initial fund-raising goal to renovate a physical space for mindfulness activities and has received sufficient funding to support the second arm of the project – create a strategy for professional development.
The final two arms of the project will consist of strategy for professional development and systematic integration of the tools.
The Leadership Green Bay team raised more than $14,000 in monetary donations and secured more than $17,000 in in-kind donations. “We started this project with our goals set high and it was inspiring to see the community rally behind us as we met and then exceeded our initial goals,” shared Jared Spude, strategic account manager at Breakthrough and one of the Leadership Green Bay team members. “This level of community support is what makes Greater Green Bay a great place to live and work.”
Leadership Green Bay, a community-based leadership program of the Greater Green Bay Chamber, helps participants grow as leaders and become more engaged in the community. Each year, the program requires class participants to coordinate community projects. Team three includes Tony Ehrbar of American Tent & Sidewall and Gather on Broadway, Chad Giesen of Ameriprise Auto & Home Insurance, Jamie Jergenson of Bellin College, Kelly Johnson of the Law Firm of Conway, Olejniczak & Jerry, S.C., Brittni Lessuise of Nicolet National Bank, Jennifer Pigeon of Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, and Jared Spude of Breakthrough. Andy VanRemortel, media director of Insight Creative, served as the group’s mentor.
A sincere thank you to Leadership Green Bay and the many community partners and sponsors for this wonderful new addition to Washington Middle School!