2016-2017 Annual Program Report

RISE Yoga
For Youth
2016 - 2017
Program
Report
RiseYogaforYouth.Org

A Message from
our Founder
Dear friends,
I am delighted to share our 2016-2017 annual report with you. It has been a year of
significant growth and change at RISE!
Your generous support has enabled us to further our mission to empower underserved
youth through the practices of yoga, wellness education and community building. In the
past 12 months we have expanded to five new schools, including one site in Oakland.
We now offer programming to over 1,400 youth in the San Francisco Bay Area at 17
school sites.
I invite you to learn more about our programs, read our student statements and teacher
interviews, and see how our program is impacting teens and paving the way for a
brighter future.
Thank you for making our work possible to transform the lives of underserved youth. I
can’t wait to continue the journey into our next year!
Sincerely,
Erin Lila Singh
Founder & Executive Director
RISE Yoga for Youth

Where We
are Today
Our story began in 2012, when we started with a small pilot program in Mission High
School, offering yoga and wellness education as P.E credit to 20 students. Working with
the students at Mission, we saw the powerful impact of integrating yoga and mindfulness
into the school curriculum: students reported being better able to focus in class, feeling
more energized, motivated and confident in themselves, and being able to effectively
manage their stress and emotions. After our first program at Mission High School, we
set forth to share this transformational practice with more teens across the Bay Area.
Since then, RISE has expanded to 17 schools, serving students in San Francisco, Alameda,
San Mateo and Santa Clara counties.
17 sites. 1,400 Students. Ages 12 - 19
2016 - 2017 Site Locations
• Mills High School
• Aragon High School
• Mission High School
• Carlmont High School
• San Mateo High School
• Burlingame High School
• Willie Brown Middle School
• Summit Public School: Prep
• Summit Public School: Denali
• Summit Public School: Rainier
• Palo Alto Medical Foundation
• June Jordan School for Equity
• George Washington High School
• Leadership Public School Oakland
• Immaculate Conception Academy
• St. Matthews Episcopal Day School
• Leadership Public School San Francisco

Student
Feedback
95%
Say that yoga has given
them useful tools to
manage stress
87%
Say that yoga has
helped them feel more
energized
94%
Say that they feel calmer
and more relaxed after
practicing yoga
82%
Say that yoga has
helped them focus
better in academic
classes
Say that they have learned
how to use their breath to
calm down when angry or
upset
91% 65%
Say that they sleep
better at night after
practicing yoga
89%
Say that yoga has
helped them gain
strength and flexibility
64%
Say that yoga has
helped them improve
their relationships with
friends and family

Student
Testimonials
• “I really enjoy yoga! It's really nice to be able to take time just for yourself and
focus on yourself. Also I like how it helps with self confidence and acceptance. I
think it helps me focus on my strengths and accept my weaknesses and
acknowledge that there's nothing I need to change about myself which I think is
truly amazing.” - Claire
• “Yoga at school has helped me so much throughout the semester. I always feel
so refreshed and energized after the sessions in PE and it helps me focus really
well in my next class. I look forward to the yoga here every Friday and after
getting exposed to it at school, I have done yoga on my own throughout the
semester to relax when I stress out from school.” – Jenna
• “Now when I go through problems or face challenges I just meditate and focus
on my breathing, which I learned from yoga.” - Anthony
• “My favorite part of yoga was the relaxation part because I found that it really
helped me make it through the day.” - Sam
• “Yoga has helped me discover who I am as a person. Now, I am more in touch
with my feelings. I listen to my body a lot more.” - Veronica

School TEACHER
Testimonials
Stephanie Camoroda
Intervention Specialist
Leadership Public School Oakland
“It has truly been a pleasure partnering with RISE Yoga for
Youth. Our teacher Madoka was very kind, professional,
reliable, and creative. Our students enjoyed the opportunity to
learn something new and many students shared with me that
Yoga helped them to relax and de-stress. The class was
particularly helpful for some of our senior students who were
stressed about grades, college decisions, final exams, and
finishing up their high school careers. Other students who
experience anxiety shared that the class helped with their
anxiety symptoms. We started with one class and are now
getting ready to offer our third yoga class through RISE during
Summer School. Thank you RISE for your amazing work and for
bringing yoga to our school!”
“In the past three years that ICA has partnered with RISE, our
students (and adults on campus!) have benefitted from the yoga
practice. Whether it be at 7:00am with Sunrise Yoga, or in the
afternoon on our sun-drenched rooftop, our RISE instructors -
Regina and Maria - celebrate our students as they share time
among them. We are now at a point when some students can
lead in class, which helps to create an even more collaborative
and engaging environment. Students from different grade levels
get to know one another and create friendships and connections
that strengthen our school community. Our students experience
an incredible amount of stress and anxiety in their daily lives. In
wholeheartedly integrating RISE on our campus four times per
week and at community wellness celebrations, we are grateful to
RISE and the special donors to the program who make this
access to skilled, compassionate, and celebratory yoga available
to all our students.”
Carolyn Sideco
Athletic Director
Immaculate Conception Academy

SCHOOL SPOTLIGHT:
LPS Oakland
About Leadership Public School Oakland
Leadership Public School (LPS) Oakland, located in East Oakland, is part of a tuition free public charter
high school network in the Bay Area. Their mission is to create educational equity by empowering and
preparing students for college, career and community leadership. 87% of LPS students will be firstgeneration
college graduates, and 47% of their students will be the first in their families to graduate
from High School.
RISE PROGAM AT Leadership Public School Oakland
The partnership between RISE and LPS Oakland started this past fall, with a small pilot yoga class
taking place once a week with the juniors and seniors. After seeing tremendous success in the
program, LPS Oakland decided to expand the yoga classes to twice a week, opening it up to students
in other grade levels. RISE works closely with the social workers and principal at LPS Oakland, regularly
checking in about student progress and growth in our yoga and mindfulness program. Classes focus
on building self confidence, learning stress management skills, and finding new, healthy ways to
connect to the body and mind. Relaxation and mindfulness exercises are also an integral part of our
classes. Our goal is to create an environment and culture where students can be fully present with
themselves and build the inner resources to face life’s many challenges in constructive ways. We help
students learn compassionate self-care through the building of healthy physical and mental habits, so
that these young scholars can enter college with confidence and become the next mindful leaders of
our world.
LPS Oakland STUDENT DEMOGRAPHIC
93%
Socioeconomically
disadvantaged
86%
Hispanic or
Latino
30%
English Learners
34%
Students with
Disabilities
African
American
9% 87%
First Generation College
Graduates

Teacher Spotlight:
Regina Garcia
What is the most rewarding aspect of being a teen yoga teacher?
The most rewarding aspect of being a teen yoga teacher is witnessing a student resonate with an
element of the practice that will potentially change the entire course of their life - whether it’s a
meditation or breathing technique, connecting with their own body in a certain posture, or deeply
understanding themes like kindness, abundance, and truthfulness.
What is the most challenging aspect of being a teen yoga teacher?
For me, it's managing the classroom. Most of their other classes have a desk and computer setup,
so being in a circle on yoga mats can be quite distracting for them. On some days there
might be a pair of students chatting about their weekend, while a few others beg to play a game,
while someone else sneaks an iPhone out of their backpack, and then a sock flies across the
room... all in the duration of one sun salutation - which is also the special beauty of these
groups.
What are some ‘big wins’ from this year?
A big win this year was when a group of 5 girls shared that they liked yoga because it's one of the
only opportunities they get to think about what they’re interested in, what they want to do in the
future, and how they truly feel about the things happening in their life - as they feel that they’re
being told what to do in many other areas. I am so grateful to RISE for creating these spaces for
teens to take time for themselves. Another win was when a student shared that instead of yelling
at her little sister when she was annoyed, she took a deep breath before talking to her and
eventually she started teaching her some of the yoga poses we did in class. The ripple effect of
these practices are so evident, and I love knowing that every single one of these teens may share
these practices with someone in their life, and so on.
What is the biggest difference between teaching an adult yoga class and a RISE teen yoga class?
The biggest difference for me between teaching a regular adult yoga class and a RISE teen yoga
class is the way everyone shows up on their mat. Teens show up as they are, no apologies, no
filter, few expectations. In teen classes we play games to connect deeper with one another and as
a group, while in adult classes it’s more of a personal practice. RISE teen classes go far beyond
the physical practice of yoga - we sit in circles to discuss how we may practice yoga off the mat.
I’m constantly fascinated by their openness to share and with the authenticity of their words.

THANK YOU
FOR YOUR
SUPPORT!
TOGETHER, WE MAKE CHANGE
Our work goes far beyond teaching yoga poses and providing students with an opportunity to relax. Our
skillful teachers and innovative curriculum help students connect with their authentic selves and
inherent self worth. We give students the space to realize their unique personal gifts and what brings
them joy. We empower teens to know their inner strength and capacity to be powerful agents of change
in the world.
Thanks to your support, we were able to start our very first East Bay chapter in East Oakland. We also
partnered with schools in Oakland and the Peninsula to lead our very first summer intensive yoga
programs this year!
We are grateful for our donors, volunteers and partners who invest in our mission. Because of your
support, we can continue strengthening our existing programs while expanding to new schools. Because
of you, we can bring this transformative practice to more teens in the Bay Area. It takes an entire
community working together to make lasting positive change in the world.
Thank you for being a part of our community.

RiseYogaforYouth.org