Provided by the Jefferson Township Education Association to students, parents, and staff of Jefferson Township Schools at no cost.
About The Program
The Mindful Path provides the core curriculum for Adventureful—building the foundations for mindful living and the importance of engaging with the natural world as part of that journey. In this 6-week program, we provide a grounding in the science of mindfulness and nature, and share simple yet powerful practices and strategies to bring mindfulness into daily life—to promote calm and self-regulation, build resilience, and foster more confidence in everyday life.
We see Adventureful as a way of life, defined as a lifestyle that combines meaningful engagement with nature and the practice of mindfulness; cultivating the ability to see the adventure in all things small and large with a sense of acceptance, gratitude, kindness, trust, and patience.
Provided by the Jefferson Township Education Association to students, parents, and staff of Jefferson Township Schools at no cost.
What You’ll Learn
Ways to live more present, focused, less stressed and less anxious.
Strategies to become more aware of your thoughts, feelings, and body sensations
so that instead of being overwhelmed by them, you are better able to manage them.
How to make mindfulness a priority and ultimately a habit in your every day life.
The critical role meaningful engagement with nature plays in your mindfulness journey.
Provided by the Jefferson Township Education Association to students, parents, and staff of Jefferson Township Schools at no cost.
Meet Your Instructors
This program is instructed by Adventureful founders, Ryan Benz and Jason Benz. Adventureful is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to helping all kids step away from the screen to step mindfully into nature, for a better connection, and a brighter future. Their mission is to build strong and healthy foundations through mindfulness, empowerment, and meaningful engagement with the outdoors.
Ryan Benz
After spending over 10 years excelling in a marketing career, Ryan discovered the world of meditation and mindfulness, putting him on a new path, a 2,189.8 mile long path to be exact, setting out to hike the entire length of the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine. He then obtained certifications as a meditation and mindfulness teacher and life coach, and completed his 200-hours of training to become a registered yoga instructor. Through his one-on-one coaching practice, he has been training clients in mindfulness and meditation over the last 3 years.
Jason Benz
Jason has been a health and physical education teacher for 15 years, as well as a strength and conditioning coach. For many years he has played a leadership role on his school's mindfulness team, championing the initiative to bring more mindfulness and nature into the classroom. He brings that knowledge and expertise to Adventureful, as well as his passion for helping others lead happier, healthier lives.
Provided by the Jefferson Township Education Association to students, parents, and staff of Jefferson Township Schools at no cost.
Program Schedule
Tuesday, March 2 — Program Week 1 Zoom Session @ 7:00pm-8:00pm
Tuesday, March 9 — Program Week 2 Zoom Session @ 7:00pm-8:00pm
Tuesday, March 16 — Program Week 3 Zoom Session @ 7:00pm-8:00pm
Tuesday, March 23 — Program Week 4 Zoom Session @ 7:00pm-8:00pm
Tuesday, March 30 — Program Week 5 Zoom Session @ 7:00pm-8:00pm
Tuesday, April 13 — Program Week 6 Zoom Session @ 7:00pm-8:00pm
Provided by the Jefferson Township Education Association to students, parents, and staff of Jefferson Township Schools at no cost.
Program Curriculum at-a-glance
Session 1: An Introduction to Mindfulness
An introductory lesson encouraging students that mindfulness is worth learning about by making it relevant to their lives and discussing the benefits.
Session 2: Paying Attention
Introduces students to this thing we call our “attention” which, like a puppy, needs to be trained.
Session 3: Taming the Animal Mind
Explores different mind states and the tricks our minds play that lead to stress and anxiety, like fear, worry and other negative emotions, teaching that ‘anchoring’ attention in the body, alongside the cultivation of curiosity and kindness, can be calming and nourishing.
Session 4: Weathering the Inevitable Storms
Deals with the greatest challenge of all: dealing with difficult emotions, and comes to the heart of mindfulness, teaching us how to respond, rather than react, to whatever happens in our lives.
Session 5: Moving Mindfully
Shows us that mindfulness is not just something we do sitting or lying down, and how it’s even used by athletes.
Session 6: Pulling it all Together
Consolidates the key techniques we’ve learned and inspires students to use what they have learned in the future.
Provided by the Jefferson Township Education Association to students, parents, and staff of Jefferson Township Schools at no cost.