By Gia Alam | Posted Jan. 16, 2025
At Montgomery Upper Middle School, the Yoga Club has become a cornerstone of wellness, teaching students the skills to build healthy habits early on. Led by Stefanie Lachenauer, the club focuses on mindfulness, friendship, and stress management, creating an environment that advocates for mental health in both the school and the larger district community.
Students from Montgomery Upper Middle School’s Yoga Club proudly showcase their handmade bookmarks featuring positive messages.
Ms. Lachenauer, an Upper Middle School educator who earned the prestigious distinction of New Jersey Teacher of the Year for 2024-2025, secured a $2,000 grant 10 years ago to launch the club. “I was always seeing that kids were really stressed,” she told The Montgomery News. “ I was getting my yoga certification, and I wanted to do more to help support students while learning as much as I could about the neuroscience behind everything. “We had a trial yoga club where we could meet every now and then, and I was starting to see that it was making a difference.”
For seventh grader Alexa Ryan, Yoga Club provides an opportunity to reset and recharge. “I feel like it helps me relieve any stress that I have,” said Ryan. “If I have a lot of homework, it gives me a chance to not think about that for a bit.” Another student, seventh grader Olivia Mistretta, joined the club because of Lachenauer’s welcoming teaching style. “We had Ms. Lachenauer for Skills for Success, and we loved her class,” shared Mistretta. “Yoga club gives us some time to have fun with our friends, if we are unable to see them outside of school.”
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The club goes beyond yoga sessions, promoting mindfulness throughout the school community. Students contribute to small initiatives such as creating bookmarks with positive messages, and leaving them in books around the school library. These efforts spread positivity and create an upbeat community within UMS.
Ms. Lachenauer says that simple positive messages can have a huge impact. “When someone goes into the media center and opens up a book with a positive message in it, little things like that can be uplifting,” she said. “In the past, we’ve made bulletin boards with different mindfulness practices on them.”
Stefanie Lachenauer, advisor of the Yoga Club at Montgomery Upper Middle School, holds the grant that officially launched the club nearly 10 years ago. The funding was provided by the Montgomery Rocky Hill Municipal Alliance and Youth Services Commission.
Ms. Lachenauer also notes that some students joined Yoga Club because they wanted to get to know other kids and to make friends. “It was really special to see kids who were not loving school or weren’t feeling included, to then come out with really strong friendships on top of having great social skills,” Ms. Lachenauer said.
The focus on early, simple habits is a key part of the club’s success. Members emphasize the importance of drinking enough water, getting enough sleep, and walking enough steps in the day to regulate themselves. As Lachenauer prepares for her sabbatical, Ms. Lara Katz will continue leading the club. Students are excited about future activities, including mindfulness projects with hot chocolate celebrations, which bring a combination of fun and wellness into the mix.
Open to all UMS students, the Yoga Club continues to be a safe space where students can pause, connect, and develop lifelong skills for balance and well-being.
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