Parent Presents Mindfulness Sessions
February 26, 2019
Organized by Intake Specialist Kristen O’Meara, and led by instructor Richard Caballero, the Wellness Center is wrapping up a 6-week mindfulness class during Academy period as part of a broader effort to alleviate student stress. The program began February 1.
Caballero, who works at software company SAP as a mindfulness trainer, is the father of freshman Ava Caballero.
“I’d hear from the people saying, ‘Oh, 1 of the big challenges we have at Campo and all high schools is stress. There’s so much stress for kids these days,'” said Caballero. “Mindfulness is a fantastic tool to deal with stress. I felt, for my service and because of my passion and because my daughter is here, I wanted to give back to the community and share this.”
Ava Caballero said that she’s happy her father is hosting a mindfulness class because “it’s something different that we haven’t done before,” and her father has a passion for “mindfulness.”
The classes included presentations, interactive activities, and meditation exercises, all of which aimed to teach students about managing stress, anger, negative thoughts, and unhealthy habits.
“What I hope is that [the students] get a tool that can help them not just now but for their entire life. That tool will not only help them manage stress anxiety, but it helps them perform better at school and in their activities. It helps them in their relationships at home and at school, and it helps them be happier people,” said Caballero.
O’Meara agreed that meditation is beneficial for students and cited her own experience with it. “I’ve been meditating for 10 years and I have found in my own process how much it helps with a lot of different issues, issues that we all face- stress, managing different emotions, learning more about myself,” she said.
According to O’Meara, 12 students took part in the class. “My hope is that 1 day, we’ll have a mindfulness component to every class at Campo,” said O’Meara. “I hope it’s just accessible to everyone so they can learn how to be present and aware.”
