As an intern for the MCPS Student Well Being and Achievement team, Queen Balina co-founded Students Speaking Up as a Junior at Winston Churchill High School. The program allows high school students to record short, professional quality videos about issues that affect them in partnership with MCPS TV.

Since the founding of Students Speaking Up in January 2021, five episodes have been recorded, covering a variety of topics, including the COVID-19 pandemic and mental wellness. Nearly a year since the program launch, Queen is still working to recruit more student volunteers and elevate the voices of students across the county.

Eastern Middle School created "The Eagle's Nest" on their school webpage. Using the school's mascot as inspiration, this is a resource for the school community to access free videos, worksheets and activities related to mindfulness. Teachers have shared this on their online platforms, as well as through the counseling department.

Eastern Middle School's principal, Mr. Matt W. Johnson says, "we have focused on building community with all our families and the “The Eagle’s Nest” is an excellent example of the school being a touchstone for our students and parents. This webpage helps reinforce the message that the school has a resource for mindfulness and wellness during these stressful and uncertain times.

Visit "The Eagle's Nest" webpage

Carrie has been an educator for 17 years, starting in New York City Public Schools before coming to MCPS in 2008 as an English teacher at Rockville High School. During her first year of teaching, she initially incorporated Mindfulness as a survival tool for herself, but soon began sharing these practices with her students. For 5 years and running, Carrie has been sharing her knowledge and skill as a mindfulness practitioner and teacher through the MCPS Well Aware program for staff members each Monday evening with Mindful Mondays (see calendar for details).

As an Instructional Specialist in central office, Carrie took the lead in organizing, structuring, and creating the MCPS Secondary Mindfulness Curriculum. She also assists with leading the Mindfulness Brain Trust, a weekly PLC for Mindful Educators to share best practices. Since the beginning of the pandemic, Carrie has recorded multiple episodes of Mindful Moment videos for students, staff, and leadership, covering a variety of wellness techniques. She currently holds the position of Coordinator for the newly minted Virtual Academy. Thank you Carrie, for impacting thousands of students, staff and community members.

Krishna Kaur, a dynamic heart centered Yoga teacher, began studying Yoga in 1970 and has been teaching the art and science of Yoga and Self Awareness for 40 years all over the world. Krishna founded Y.O.G.A. for Youth, a nonprofit dedicated to training yoga teachers to work with at-risk youth and creating yoga programs in schools and juvenile facilities. Krishna opened the first yoga center in South Central Los Angeles in 1971 and continues to train yoga teachers, teach workshops, and bring yoga to underserved populations throughout the world.

A catalyst of many yoga-inspired movements including the International Association of Black Yoga Teachers and Sat Nam Street Players, Krishna has many commendations from national and state leaders. The entire MCPS Mindfulness Team have all studied and protégéd under Krishna in one form or another over the years, and it is our pleasure to honor her direct impact on thousands of lives as her students through our work in MCPS.