International Association for Human Values

2401 15th St. NW
Washington, DC 20009
Website: skyschools.org/

Description of Organization

The International Association for Human Values (IAHV)’s YES! for Schools program teaches students, teachers, and parents at four schools of the Alum Rock Union School District in San Jose, California, skills to manage stress and negative emotions in a healthy way, and help ARUSD schools incorporate regular practice of YES! strategies. The goal is to improve overall social/emotional wellness in these low income, disadvantaged school communities.

Grant(s) Awarded

In 2019, a grant in the amount of $5,000 was awarded to support expenditures for the IAHV’s YES! (Youth Empowerment Seminar) for Schools which provides evidence-informed Social Emotional Learning (SEL) stress reduction and a violence prevention program at four schools in the Alum Rock Union School District (ARUSD) in grades 3-5. The school-based program teaches effective coping mechanisms to manage stress and anger. The program includes:

  1. Healthy Body module: Simple yoga exercises and fun games to increase physical well-being.
  2. Healthy Mind module: Combines cognitive awareness tools with powerful breathing techniques to remove stress, handle challenging emotions, and to increase energy, focus, and overall success.
  3. Healthy Lifestyle module: A comprehensive Social-Emotional curriculum, including themes like “Be Button-proof,” and “Act, Don’t React,” among dozens of other practical lessons helping youth navigate relevant personal and social challenges.

During the program, students learn specific life skills through interactive and experiential processes, including games and participatory facilitated dialogue.