Hopkins County youth will have an additional opportunity to participate in Light of Chance, Incorporated’s Breathe Youth Arts program, as it extends its services from two days a week to three. Beginning next week, Breathe will offer yoga classes on Mondays from 4:15 to 5:15.
“There are many benefits to yoga and the arts,” said Eric Logan, executive director. “By combining the two, we hope to teach kids things such as mindfulness, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills while giving them a creative outlet to express themselves. We believe these things will positively translate to every aspect of their lives.”
Breathe provides year-round fine arts classes for grades 5-12. The previously two-day-a-week program teaches artistic and social skills while providing a setting where youth are valued and celebrated. While art, music and dance classes will still be offered on Tuesdays and Thursdays, local licensed professional counselor and registered yoga instructor, Bonnie Turley will be working with students each Monday.
“It’s an honor to be part of the Breathe program this year,” said Turley, owner of Synergy Counseling and Wellness Center. “I can’t wait to share the life-changing experience of yoga with youth in our community as a way to express themselves, find physical and emotional balance, build self-confidence, develop coping skills and discover self-awareness.”
The plan for the program is to help Breathe participants experience more positive relationships by giving challenged youth a healthy outlet for their emotions, teaching mindfulness principles and increasing academic success.
“As a mental health therapist and yoga instructor I focus on the emotional connection to our physical body,” Turley said. “Through yoga, breathing techniques and meditation I hope to teach the youth in my classes a positive outlet that will help them become their greatest potential.”
This program is the first of its kind in the area.
“At Light of Chance, we pride ourselves on being groundbreaking and at the forefront on reaching youth people to effect positive change, and it does not get much more innovative than this,” Logan said. “We have an amazing partnership with Synergy Counseling and Wellness Center, and we cannot wait to get started.”
Classes will be at the Rosenwald-Smith Multicultural Center, 208 N. Kentucky Ave. in Madisonville. Free transportation is available for all three days of Breathe. For more information, contact 270-339-0717 or email us at info@lightofchance.org.