Mindful School Initiative: The Extraordinary Impact of Training 3 NYC Public High School Teachers to Guide Meditations

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Who-hoo yes! We just trained and certified 3 teachers, social workers and administrators at New Design High, a public school in New York City, to guide meditations. The teachers were incredible to have in class, and they were thrilled to receive the training, which was funded by an extraordinary foundation (thank you!). Here are the hot-off-the-press comments from the teachers who just graduated — congrats Claire, Dilyon and Erick! Here is what I wrote to the donors who made this possible (past graduates of MTT donated also to pay for the teachers to be trained) - I’m excited to share this with you as well:

Hii to the donors of our Mindful School initiative,

I write you with tears in my eyes .. because the teachers from New Design High, the NYC public school that enrolled 3 employees in our Meditation Teacher Training program .. just graduated and sent these notes to THANK YOU for making the training possible. These notes for you are deep - so please sit before you read this :-). We will organize a gathering with all 3 of them in NY when I'm back in November and invite all of you - so they can thank you in person and .. we can enjoy being guided by them! Until then, check this out:

From Claire Butler, College & Career Counselor:

I'm so very glad to have participated in The Path Meditation Teacher Training. As a public high school teacher, I am faced with my students' struggles and challenges every day, and especially in the last few years, my students have dealt with increased stress and anxiety. The Path's Meditation Teacher Training offered me the chance to learn how to use Meditation and Mindfulness to help my students cope with their anxiety and become healthier versions of themselves. I have wanted to bring these practices into my classroom for awhile, but I have never felt prepared and knowledgeable enough to do so, and this teacher training was the perfect opportunity. I'm so grateful to those who made it possible for me to take this course, because it was everything I hoped for and more. 

I went into the training focused on how I could help my students, and I now feel confident in guiding my students in meditation and sharing mindfulness practices with them that will contribute to their wellbeing in a variety of ways. The experience has also impacted my own wellbeing. I have experienced the benefits of meditation and mindfulness firsthand. I have learned the benefits of daily meditations and recognize how I can use meditation to help me deal with my own anxiety. I have learned more about myself, which will help me be a kinder, more empathetic human and a better teacher to my students.

My school year starts in just a few days, so I've been planning my curriculum in preparation, and I am incorporating what I learned from the teacher training into my own teaching. Every Friday I will lead my students in meditation, going through the different types of meditation that I have learned. In my classroom we'll also discuss how meditation can be transformative, and I hope that these regular practices will empower my students to begin their own meditation journeys. I also plan to open up my classroom during lunch a few times a week to anyone (staff or students) who wants to join me in meditation. 

The Path's Meditation Teacher Training course has had a significant impact on me, and I believe it will also affect my school community as those of us who participated in the course begin to share our learnings with everyone around us. Thank you so much for funding our tuition and making it possible for our school to benefit from the power of meditation and mindfulness. I appreciate your generosity, and you are making a difference in the lives of many NYC public school students!

From Dilyon Stanislaus-Blache, parent coordinator:

To the very generous sponsors,

Taking the 12-week mindfulness meditation teacher training was an incredibly meaningful experience for me, both personally and professionally. I originally came to the course as someone interested in meditation for myself, but I quickly saw how powerful it could be to learn how to guide others in the practice as well. I didn’t want to just recommend meditation to friends or coworkers, I wanted real, grounded training so I could help others access it in a way that actually sticks. This course gave me that. One of the most valuable lessons I took from the training was the importance of consistency- meditating every day, even when things were chaotic or uncomfortable. Through this, I’ve learned how powerful it is to be present, even in difficult of stressful moments. That shift in awareness has changed how I show up in my own life and how I engage with others. I also learned how to speak about mindfulness in a way that feels accessible to anyone. It’s not tied to a religion or spirituality, it’s a human tool, available to everyone regardless of belief or background. I now feel equipped to share it in a way that feels inclusive and welcoming.

I'm deeply grateful to the foundation for funding my tuition. Having that financial support made a huge difference. I was able to fully immerse myself in the course without second-guessing whether it was “worth the cost” or feeling pressure to justify every hour I spent on it. Instead, I committed fully and took everything I could from the experience, because it was something I genuinely wanted to do, and I had the freedom to focus completely on training and my growth as a teacher.

I believe there is so much potential in expanding this kind of training across New York City, especially in educational settings like high schools. Many school staff members are overwhelmed and don’t always have the tools to be present for themselves, let alone for their students. But if mindfulness was something they were trained in, supported to practice, and encouraged to share, imagine the ripple effects. A school where mindfulness is a part of the culture could help students and staff alike become more grounded, more focused, and more emotionally resilient. It’s not just about stress relief; it’s about giving people the space and awareness to be fully present in their lives. That’s something every community deserves.

Sincerely,

Dilyon Stanislaus

From Erick Miller, social worker at the school:

I am so thankful for the chance to take part in The Path’s mindfulness meditation teacher training made possible through your support. The experience was not only informative, but also personally grounding and inspiring. I left the training with a deeper appreciation for the ways mindfulness can foster calm, presence, and compassion in both myself and my students. As a school social worker, I often witness how much students benefit from having tools to manage stress and center themselves, and this training has given me confidence and practical skills to guide them in that process. It was a truly positive experience that I will carry forward in my work with young people.