FLY Yoga Arts: Enhancing Academic Education Through Integrated Movement and Creative Arts Play!

Conduct research

Engage residents and stakeholders

Expand a pilot or a program

Mobilize for systems change

Implement and track policy

District-wide graduation rates

HS student proficiency in English & Language Arts and Math

Academic Performance Index* scores

Suspension and expulsion rates (Dream Metric)

Truancy rates in elementary and middle schools (Dream Metric)

Our California Public Schools are in crisis, and the impact on the staff and students is generally one of low morale and low self-confidence in a struggling system. FLY Yoga Arts is committed to reintroducing a love for learning to both students and educators by using a completely innovative curriculum that understands and points to the personal gifts of each and every student and educator.

Through play-based curriculum including art, dance, music, yoga and “mindful moments,” FLY helps children get the most out of their academic subjects including reading, math and science. Academic research in the fields of neuroscience, education, psychology and medicine have shown yoga and mindfulness practices to reliably increase academic performance, improve emotional well-being, and reduce behavioral challenges all while building strength, flexibility and balance.

Our curriculum highlights these evidence-based practices along with imaginative play, mental and physical wellness, and concentration/ attention training. In collaboration with students, teachers, parents and caregivers,

our aim is to impact academic progress and long-term success in each of our students by giving them personalized learning blueprints.

In addition to providing play-based classes for students throughout LAUSD, our 2015-2016 goal is to train a thousand educators and program facilitators to integrate our curriculum into their schools. We will provide audio, video and written guidebooks that interlace mindfulness, movement and creativity into each school's ongoing programming. This training will allow educators to implement the FLY curriculum seamlessly throughout the school day.

FLY seeks to cultivate connection and engagement. By bringing PLAY into learning, engaging students through their abundant energy and helping them integrate their school day lessons into fun, the FLY curriculum will help equip students, along with their teachers and families, to deal with daily stressors. Our program establishes community, enhances healthy self- image and communication, and keeps kids and teachers excited to come to school each day.

1. We will evaluate sense of safety and community benefit through a survey of students, teachers, and staff who participate in our program.

2. We will work with schools to monitor a shift in academic achievement and behavioral trends as a result of participating in our after school programming.

3. We will track student's mental and social understanding through assignments that highlight self reflection, decision making skills, and community building.

4. We will survey parents in order to garner an understanding of their child’s energy level, focus, and communication skills beyond the school day.

5. We will complete surveys in collaboration with school staff at the beginning and end of each workshop and training, as well as at the end of the implementation time to get a sense of their experience with classroom management, learning trends, and community wellbeing.

6. To track the progress of teachers who have received training, we will provide consultation and personal mentoring.

Money (financial capital)

Volunteers/staff (human capital)

Publicity/awareness (social capital)

Education/training

Community outreach

Network/relationship support

Quality improvement research