When Katie Griffith, an anatomy teacher in Torrance, started practicing yoga seven years ago, she assumed her school teaching and her love of yoga were separate. That was until she decided to put her West High School students to the test – she asked her students to try a yoga pose to learn about their muscles firsthand.
I took a level one certification class and started teaching gentle yoga at a local adult school. I thought, ‘The kids would like this,’” said Griffith. “So last year, I created my own workbook to try it out. I asked the kids to bring in towels. We went down to the gym. I had everyone doing Downward Dog. We learned about the muscles and their movements. At the end-of-the-year reflection, half the class said that’s what they remembered.”
Upon receiving such great feedback, Griffith decided to build a more substantial program called Muscle Group Yoga. With the help of a workbook, Griffith would incorporate a yoga session into her traditional classroom lessons on anatomy and physiology.
But, producing a workbook with yoga pose illustrations doesn’t come cheaply. And she knew that the students needed yoga mats. That was when she decided to apply for a grant to receive funding for her classroom project.
From previous experience, Griffith knew that ExxonMobil is a major supporter of education and provides grants. Specifically, she knew that since 1998, the Torrance Refinery offered “Pegasus Awards.” These grants are only open to teachers in the Torrance Unified School District who develop innovative and creative projects.
Over the summer, Griffith worked on her grant application. “I knew what I wanted to say about the benefits of yoga for kids; how it helps with stress relief and building self-confidence. I Google’d [this topic] and found articles that supported my ideas.” She said, “There are lots of kids looking for something to help them relax and focus. Some kids are not athletic. Yoga helps with body awareness and meditation.”
“I could relate to her proposal, even though I’ve never done yoga a day in my life.”
“The independent review board members had a mix of experience with yoga; some had no experience at all,” said Laura Paredes, Public Affairs Advisor for the ExxonMobil Refinery in Torrance. “In the eight years we’ve been reviewing grant applications, this is the only yoga application we’ve ever received. The judges all kept saying [about Griffith’s grant application], ‘That’s so unique.’ The teacher made a very good connection between yoga and understanding your body. I could relate to her proposal, even though I’ve never done yoga a day in my life.”
Paredes also mentioned that Griffith’s Muscle Group Yoga project is appealing because it furthers the understanding of science. “Being a company of engineers, we are interested in projects that promote math and science,” said Paredes. She points to a 2005 study by the National Science Foundation which notes that fewer than 20 percent of high school seniors reach proficiency in math and science. “As a society, we require a generation of scientists. We have huge challenges. Investment in education is key.”
Griffith was thrilled to learn that her application was approved and she would receive a $750 grant. Out of the 143 grant applications, the ExxonMobil Torrance Refinery funded 93 of them. Applications are scored on several different categories, such as the ability for the project to be assessed against stated objectives and its sustainability. The judges deemed Griffith’s Muscle Group Yoga program to be innovative – and in the future, they could also see yoga becoming more prevalent in society.
“I’m lucky to have a principal and assistant principal who are forward thinkers. As long as we are tying [projects] back to the curriculum, then teachers have a lot of freedom to achieve content standards,” said Griffith. “In class, we’ve already begun the foundation work for Muscle Group Yoga. We’re learning the muscle names. We’re talking about the history of yoga. We’ll do yoga just one time this semester. But my goal is to offer a free voluntary class on a regular basis. The workbooks will not only tie in to learning about muscles, but it can also help students pursue a regular yoga practice. I do, and I encourage it.”
Yvonne Pesquera is a freelance writer in Carlsbad, California. yvonne@pesquera.net
