Giving a much-needed “Wake Up” call

Beth Navon, Executive Director of the New York-based Lineage Project has some great news to share about her organization’s work to bring mindfulness to incarcerated and at-risk youth.

Navon reports that the LP will be hosting monastics from Thich Nhat Hanh’s community as they visit the East Coast on what they’re calling a “Wake Up” tour.

“Expressing great interest in our work teaching mindfulness inside the juvenile justice detention centers,” Navon writes, “they asked to teach with us in one while they are in NYC. We are delighted to announce that we will be bringing them into Crossroads Detention Center to teach an assembly of incarcerated youth, ages 10 to 15 on November 7th.

Get a link to related video, and more good news from The Lineage Project, after the jump.

A video in support of the “Wake Up” tour has been created. Click here to watch.

Navon also reports that The NYC Department of Education has contracted with The  Lineage Project to teach in six of their District 88 schools:

The director, John DiFiore describes the schools:

• The District is comprised of thirty-eight Alternate Learning Centers (ALC’s).  ALC’s are schools located throughout the five boroughs of NYC serving students on assignment as a result of a superintendent suspension.
• On average the district will work with approximately 16,000 ALC students each year. Students are suspended from their home schools after engaging in violent behaviors ranging from bullying to gang related activity.
• On average students attend the ALC for a full month to one year.
• A high percentage of the students come from communities where poverty has brought high rates of violence, crime, and drug and alcohol abuse.
• The average sophomore who attends the ALC has only earned 3-5 high school credits and has an average attendance of 30%.
  

Mr. DiFiore also made the following points:

• “We believe that bringing The Lineage Project into in our schools can foster hope, discipline and respect for self, others and community.”
• “The program can improve coping skills associated with anger management, grief release, and depression for our most at-risk youth.”

For more information about the work of the Lineage Project, visit them on the web or Like them on Facebook.

Your Daily Destination for Buddhism, Culture, Meditation, Life http://www.shambhalasun.com/

Read more at Shambhala Sun