Congressman Tim Ryan Visits Miami-Dade Schools (The Miami Herald)

CONGRESSMAN TIM RYAN, D-OHIO

Congressman Tim Ryan, an Ohio Democrat, recently visited several inner city schools in Miami-Dade to raise awareness on the importance of using the Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction Program as a tool to combat stress, aggression, bullying and school violence.

Ryan visited the Academy for International Education in Miami Springs, Mater Academy of International Studies in Miami, and Arcola Lakes Elementary School in Liberty City. His visit was organized by Valerie York-Zimmerman, founder of Miami Mindfulness, which provides professional training of the program to teachers and counselors, who then teach students in the classroom. The training aims to increase attention and academic achievement, reduce stress and increase performance, improve impulse control and increase teaching time in classrooms, develop emotional regulation and teach students to respond instead of reacting, and build empathy and compassion.

“For a very small investment, we can prevent tragic future costs and heartaches in our communities. How much will we save in preventing substance abuse? How much will we save in preventing suicides and mass shootings because children feel isolated and alone? My goal is to get us to focus more on mental health and well-being in the most important asset we have in America — well-functioning human beings,” Ryan said.