On September 9th, the sixth-grade students had a fun and meaningful time in their Youth Development class. They felt cheerful after engaging in icebreaker activities, and the discussion of mindfulness practices introduced new coping strategies for students dealing with anxiety.

Since it was only the second week of school, 6th grade students haven’t gotten to know each other well yet. To help them get more familiar and comfortable with each other, the teachers designed some ice-breaking games and activities for the class, such as community circles, name games, and two truths and a lie! These games were not only interesting and engaging, but they also allowed the students to bond with each other.

Alina, a new student of class 6-8, said that, “I feel really happy and I got really familiar with everybody. We laughed a lot. It was so fun!” The laughter was like a ray of sunlight that thawed the “ice,” making the classroom a warmer and more inviting place for everyone.

After the ice-breaking games, teachers organized a mindfulness lesson, including a video about dealing with stress and anxiety. They then handed out a “mindfulness packet” that contained coloring pages, journaling prompts, and general tips for mindfulness. The hope is that whenever students feel stressed, they can use the methods introduced in the packet to relieve some of the pressure.

At the end of this youth development class, a student from class 6-5 said, “Now I remember everybody’s name, and the games were really fun. Some people have really funny ways of introducing themselves, and that made us all laugh.” The ice-breaking games fostered class community and united all the students in 6th grade. It helped to solidify a united homeroom, which will be essential for having a successful and meaningful school year!

(Written by 6-11 Heidi Supervised by Hannah Bush Pictures by G6 Teachers Edited by Huangshiyuan, Brie Polette)