The School Program Teaching Kids to Love Themselves

Amanda Wilson · 2026-09-09

What if the most important thing we taught kids wasn't math or reading, but how to actually sit with themselves and feel okay? That's the radical idea behind Peace in Schools, a program bringing mindfulness into regular school curriculum. I sat down with Executive Director Janice Martellucci to talk about why this matters more than ever. ### It's Not Just Deep Breaths and Quiet Time When most people hear "mindfulness in schools," they picture kids closing their eyes and breathing for a few minutes. Nice, but kind of fluffy, right? Martellucci pushes back on that. Peace in Schools uses intentional, evidence-based training, not just relaxation exercises. It's a semester-long course, taught during the school day, for credit. Same as algebra or history. The goal isn't to make kids calm. It's to give them tools to meet themselves, exactly as they are. That includes the messy parts. Anxiety, anger, confusion, all of it. ### What Kids Actually Get Out of It Here's where it gets interesting. When you teach teenagers to notice what's happening inside them without immediately reacting, a lot shifts. Martellucci shared how students start sleeping better, arguing less with parents, and even showing up to class more often. But the deeper benefit? They stop believing something is wrong with them. That's huge. Think about how many adults still carry that story around. - Reduced anxiety and depression symptoms - Better emotional regulation during conflict - Improved focus and classroom engagement - Stronger sense of self-compassion And these aren't just feel-good claims. Research on school-based mindfulness programs shows measurable improvements in exactly these areas. ### The Ripple Effect Beyond the Classroom Martellucci told me something that stuck with me. She said when kids learn to love themselves, they don't just do better in school. They change how they show up in their families, their friendships, their communities. > "We're not fixing broken kids. We're uncovering the wholeness that's already there." That reframe matters. So much of education focuses on deficits, what's missing, what needs correcting. Peace in Schools flips that. It starts from the premise that every kid is already whole. They just need space and guidance to remember it. ### Why This Belongs in Every School Some folks argue mindfulness is a nice extra, something for elective time or after-school clubs. Martellucci disagrees. She points out that stress and mental health challenges don't wait for the bell to ring. They show up during tests, in hallways, at home. Embedding this work into the regular curriculum means every student gets access. Not just the ones who sign up for yoga club or whose parents can afford outside programs. That's equity in action. Plus, teachers benefit too. When classrooms become more regulated spaces, everyone breathes a little easier. Less burnout, more connection. ### What This Means for You Maybe you're a teacher wondering how to bring this to your school. Or a parent curious about what your kid is learning. Or just someone who wishes they'd had this kind of support growing up. The takeaway is simple. We don't have to wait for kids to fall apart before we offer them tools. We can teach them now, while they're still forming their sense of self, that they're already enough. That's not fluffy. That's foundational. And honestly, it might be the most practical thing we can do for the next generation.