The School Program Helping Kids Love Themselves

Emily Johnson · 2026-09-09

### A Different Kind of Classroom What if the most important lesson we taught kids had nothing to do with math or reading? Janice Martellucci, Executive Director of Peace in Schools, believes that teaching students to meet and love themselves might be the most valuable thing we can do. Her organization brings intentional, evidence-based mindfulness training directly into the regular school curriculum—not as an after-school club, but as a core part of the school day. I recently had the chance to hear Janice talk about this work, and honestly, it shifted something in me. She doesn't talk about mindfulness as a productivity hack or a way to calm kids down so they behave better. She talks about it as a pathway to uncovering our inherent wholeness. That phrase stuck with me. ### Why Mindfulness Belongs in Schools When you think about the pressures kids face today—social media, academic stress, family instability—it's no wonder anxiety and depression are on the rise. According to the CDC, more than 1 in 3 high school students experienced persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness in 2021. That's a crisis. Mindfulness training offers a way to meet that crisis head-on. But Janice is quick to point out that it's not about fixing broken kids. It's about giving them tools to navigate life's ups and downs with more ease and self-compassion. > "We're not trying to make kids into something they're not," Janice says. "We're helping them remember who they already are." That reframe matters. So much of education focuses on filling gaps and correcting deficits. Peace in Schools takes a different approach: it starts from the premise that every student is already whole. ### What the Program Actually Looks Like Peace in Schools offers a for-credit mindfulness course in high schools, typically meeting several times a week. Students learn practices like: - Mindful breathing and body scans - Journaling and reflective writing - Group discussions about emotions and relationships - Techniques for handling stress, anger, and anxiety The goal isn't to turn kids into meditation masters. It's to help them build awareness and resilience that they can carry into adulthood. And the results speak for themselves. Schools that have adopted the program report fewer disciplinary referrals, better attendance, and improved classroom climate. But the real impact is harder to measure—it's the quiet shift in how students see themselves. ### The Ripple Effect on Teachers and Families One of the most surprising outcomes of the program is how it affects the adults in the building. Teachers who practice mindfulness alongside their students often find themselves more patient and present. Parents report that their kids are bringing these tools home, teaching them to siblings and even grandparents. That's the thing about wholeness—it's contagious. When one person remembers who they are, it gives others permission to do the same. ### A Simple Practice You Can Try Today You don't need a formal program to bring a little mindfulness into your life. Janice suggests starting small: take three conscious breaths before you check your phone in the morning. Notice what you're feeling without judging it. Ask yourself, "What do I need right now?" It sounds almost too simple. But that's the point. Mindfulness isn't about adding more to your to-do list. It's about remembering that you're already enough, exactly as you are. And if we can teach that to our kids? Well, that might just change everything.