Past projects 2
Calming Area
Funded Jan 4, 2023Thank you again so much for your generous donation for Bright Elementary's calming area! When students come into the counseling office now, I am able to offer them the choice of using the calming area before or after their counseling session. This is such a great therapeutic intervention for students to utilize especially when they come into the counseling office with big emotions/feelings (sadness, anger, anxiousness) or can use the calming area after the counseling session if they are still unable to regulate these feelings. When the materials arrived this week, a student who was asked to see me for a drop-in counseling session asked me if they could sit on the bean-bag chairs and hold a pillow. The student was able to use the calming area for about 5 minutes and really enjoyed their time reading a book and using the calming tools help regulate their feelings.
Students who have already seen the calming area in the counseling office are very excited to start using this intervention for their next counseling session. Their eyes widen and are really intrigued about using this safe area when they need it.
As the school therapist, I would like to continue to expand the calming area with other materials for students to utilize. When students feel safe in a calming area, it allows for their guard or trauma responses to lower which allows the therapist to further help students in their counseling sessions.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Cisneros
Calming Down Cozy Corner
Funded Sep 7, 2022Bright Elementary School is very pleased to be using the carpet in the counseling office for a "calming down cozy corner". Student's are super excited to see the item in the office surrounded by books and other items they can use to lay, sit, and rest while they are calming their big emotions. Specifically, this week student's who were having trouble regulating their anger were able to use 5-10 minutes in the cozy corner and use books and fidgets to comfortably regulate their feelings and their physical body. Student's reported feeling better and felt ready to go back to class after spending sometime in the calming down cozy corner.
Student's were very excited and also surprised to see that the counseling office has it's own "calming down cozy corner". Many student's rushed towards the carpet when they first walked in for their counseling session and jumped on it from excitement. With this item, I will continue to add more items to help promote calmness, safety, and peacefulness for student's to come in and use to support their emotional needs. Bright Elementary School and myself can not thank you enough for your generous donation!”
With gratitude,
Mr. Cisneros
This classroom project was brought to life by Valhalla Foundation and one other donor.