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HONOR ROLLS: Celebrate students’ academic achievements PAGE 3B - 5B
New pilot program helps students master mental health BY JACKIE BUSSJAEGER REGIONAL STAFF WRITER
WHITE BEAR LAKE — Good mental health is important to leading healthy and successful lives, but we often don’t learn how to take care of our mental health until well into adulthood. In a nation that has seen increasing violence and self-harm among children, addressing mental health among youth is more important than ever. A new nonprofit called Inner Genius is hoping to make a difference by testing a new pilot program in White Bear Schools this month. The program, titled Mental Emotional Mastery, will challenge a class of fifth graders at Matoska International IB World School to learn about their
emotional and mental wellness and explore healthy ways to manage emotions. The pilot was designed by Shannon McCarty and Nycole Fry, who both have children in the school district. McCarty is a chiropractor who owns Soul Chiropractic in White Bear Lake. She has also studied neuropsychology and brings a strong scientific perspective to the program. “We feel that a lot of our increased violence and self-harm is due to intense feelings and thoughts in the kids with no understanding what it is and what to do,” McCarty said. Fry is an artist who has spent seven years working on art therapy programs with incarcerated individuals. In her conversations with incarcerated students, she has heard
again and again that one of the things people wished they had was some kind of program in schools that helps address unspoken emotional distress, especially for children who come from difficult home situations. “That was what really sparked my interest to dig deeper into it,” Fry said. She also studied social science, and said she enjoys learning about human behavior. The goal with Mental Emotional Mastery is to give students the tools and language they need to properly process emotions and learn to manage them by encouraging mindfulness and engaging the senses. “It’s therapeutic form of art, where we really tap into their emotions and encourage creative expression, INNER GENIUS
SEE INNER GENIUS, PAGE 9A
Logo for the new pilot program.
Slow Mow May to replace No Mow May BY NOELLE OLSON SHOREVIEW PRESS EDITOR
PAUL DOLS | PRESS PUBLICATIONS
Seasonal spring cleanup cycle Dynamic Recycling employees gather and sort a variety appliances and electronic devices during a recent collection event held in conjunction with the annual RITE of Spring (Really into the environment) event at Wildwood Elementary School. Along with appliances and electronic devices, area residents also were able to drop of paint and other household chemicals. The City of White Bear Lake and White Bear Township are joining forces this year for a “Trash to Treasure Day” on Saturday, April 29. Residents of the City and Township who wish to participate should place items they no longer want on the curb at the end of their driveways, clearly marked as “FREE.” The City of Vadnais Heights also hosts a spring cleanup from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday, April 22 at Community Park . Find more information at ramseycounty.us/ residents/recycling-waste/ or cityofvadnaisheights.com.
While other cities are adopting No Mow May, Vadnais Heights will be participating in Slow Mow May. Council Member Katherine Doll Kanne said she would like to change it to Slow Mow Summer. “This is a voluntary community service initiative that acknowledges the limitations of No Mow May and instead encourages property owners to think beyond No Mow May toward a year-round yard that is water, wildlife and pollinator friendly,” Doll Kanne said. “That’s not to say that we’re suspending the city ordinance for No Mow May, it’s just adding to that. The idea of not mowing for the entire month of May has been good in some places and a disaster in other aspects. It really depends on the rate that the grass grows.” She added that there has been a push to rebrand it to Slow Mow Summer. “There’s a whole bunch of different iterations out there but it seems that some of the groups that are supportive of native plantings and pollinators have moved to the Slow Mow May or Slow Mow Summer verbiage,” Doll Kanne said. “I reached out to Nick Voss from VLAWMO and he said Slow Mow Summer is kind of the word, the phrase of the the day that groups are starting to go with. And so I thought maybe we need to just jump on the bandwagon and go to Slow Mow Summer.” Council Member Erik Goebel stated that some people do not like the appearance of long grass and SEE SLOW MOW MAY, PAGE 8A
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