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Rebecca H. Richard, LMSW, ASWB, Reach Program Manager for Pace. "ese breathing exercises foster a deeper sense of self- awareness, and can be useful when managing anger and anxiety. Breathing exercises such as these will empower and equip girls with tools they can use to deescalate themselves when faced with internal and external conflict. "e human brain isn't fully formed until a person is about 25 years old and the prefrontal cortex is the last to fully develop. is part of the brain responds to situations with good judgment, impulse control and an awareness of consequences. Teens process information with the amygdala, the emotional part. In teens' brains, the connections between the emotional part of the brain and the decision-making center are still developing. eir feelings and thinking are not yet in sync, making the emotional awareness of mindful breathing incredibly poignant and effective." In East Macon, Northeast High School has two advisement periods each week, one that focuses on academic enrichment and one centered on social-emotional wellness. "Raidervisement," as coined by the school, spends time each week delving into Franklin Covey's "7 Habits of Highly Effective People." "We're always working to be trauma sensitive," said Northeast Principal Steven Jones. "ere are innately many things that weigh all of us down, traumas that exist both on and beneath the surface. We want to help our students and staff identify these stressors, this trauma, and utilize their learned tools and resources to acknowledge and cope with those issues. Mindful breathing is just that, becoming emotionally aware. Our Student Lighthouse Team will become trained to lead this practice as well as promote the movement and excite their classmates about this new initiative." Transitioning with the times While the momentum of ABCBreathe was undoubtedly strong in 2019 and Andrade was gearing up to bring her program to a slurry of new schools this fall, COVID-19 pivoted those plans. "Now more than ever, the teachings and practices of ABCBreathe are essential to all of us, not just children. Everyone is dealing with the trauma of our current climate and therefore it's essential to possess the tools to navigate our emotions," said Andrade, who seems to have taken this seismic shift in stride and transitioned accordingly. "We've now become entirely virtual for schools by offering an online platform where all our resources are available as videos. Teachers and staff also have access to online training courses so they are confident with implementation. ere's also the option for live instruction. I'm trying to meet the needs of the students and schools in whatever way proves best for them." e current pandemic has brought about a cultural shift in education, one that Steven Haberlin, an assistant professor of education at Wesleyan College, believes can be remedied by the exact practices that ABCBreathe tackles head on. "While the research is still emerging, contemplative practices such as meditation, mindfulness and yoga are showing much promise as implemented in K-12 classrooms. For example, mindfulness can assist teachers in improving focus, improving the classroom climate and becoming more responsive to students' needs. It can also help students' readiness to learn, strengthen their focus and concentration and enhance social-emotional 52 maconmagazine.com