The School Program Teaching Kids to Love Themselves

Evelyn Reed · 2026-09-09

What if the most important thing we taught kids wasn't math or science, but how to simply be with themselves? That's the radical idea behind Peace in Schools, and it's why I wanted to talk with Janice Martellucci. Janice is the Executive Director of Peace in Schools, a nonprofit that brings mindfulness training into regular school curriculum. Not as an add-on or a special assembly. As part of the actual school day. We sat down to talk about what happens when you give kids the tools to meet themselves with kindness. ### Why This Isn't Just Another Wellness Trend A lot of schools talk about mental health. Fewer actually build it into the schedule. Peace in Schools does the latter. The program is intentional. It's evidence-based. And it treats mindfulness not as a nice-to-have, but as a foundational life skill. "We're not trying to fix kids," Janice told me. "We're helping them remember who they already are." That line stuck with me. Because so much of what we do in education is about adding, fixing, correcting. This is different. It's about uncovering. ### What Kids Actually Learn I asked Janice what a typical class looks like. Her answer was refreshingly simple. - They learn to notice their breath without changing it - They practice naming feelings without judging them - They explore how thoughts come and go, like clouds - They talk about what it means to be kind to yourself when things go wrong None of this is complicated. But it's profound. And it's the kind of stuff most adults I know are still trying to figure out. ### The Ripple Effect Here's what surprised me. The benefits don't stay in the classroom. Teachers report calmer hallways. Parents say their kids are more open at home. Students themselves talk about feeling less alone. One student put it this way: "I used to think I was the only one who felt like this. Now I know everyone does." That's the thing about wholeness. We can't give it to someone else. But we can create the conditions for them to find it. ### Meeting Kids Where They Are Janice was clear that this isn't about forcing stillness or silence. It's about meeting kids exactly where they are. Some days that means sitting quietly. Other days it means talking through a tough moment. The point isn't perfection. It's presence. "The goal isn't to feel calm all the time," she said. "The goal is to know what to do when you don't." ### Why This Matters Now More Than Ever We're living in a moment where kids are more anxious, more distracted, and more disconnected than ever. Mindfulness isn't a cure-all. But it's a start. And maybe more importantly, it's a signal. A signal that we see them. That we care about who they're becoming, not just what they're achieving. That's the real lesson here. Not just for kids. For all of us. If you're curious about bringing mindfulness into your own life or work, you don't need a curriculum. You just need a moment. Start there.