1

A PUBLICATION OF

CELEBRATING 10 YEARS!

Ten years ago, I had a dream to find a way to help our children acquire tools for life to become more self-aware, learn to regulate their emotions and gain greater emotional resilience to face this increasingly complex world. I am so excited to share with you where The Hawn Foundation is today and what our plans are for the future with our signature program, MindUp™.

MindUP™ is an evidence based social and emotional curriculum now serving tens of thousands of children each year globally! Dreams do come true and MindUP™ continues to grow on five continents, changing children’s lives around the world. Thank you for helping us make MindUP™ the extraordinary success it is today!

Growth & Progress… I am very pleased to introduce our new and talented CEO Kim McNatt who has been working with our boards, corporate partners and educational alliances. She is leading our teams, creating our strategic map for scaling and our progress has been terrific with our new on-line training platform, new animation tools, new parent workshops, health and wellness applications, special education adaptations and new corporate partners. It’s exciting to see this all coming together on our journey to take MindUP™ global. And to better serve multi-

cultural needs in schools and different regions, MindUP™ is now being translated into Spanish and Chinese!

The Hawn Foundation UK launched last year and has already educated over 7000 children throughout 23 schools in the London area. I just returned from London where our second annual UK fundraiser at Annabel's was held, raising enough

funds to address the waiting list for double the amount of schools. By the end of next year we will have reached more than 20,000 children in the UK!

In Canada, our team has accomplished exponential growth over the last 10 years. The School board in Vancouver has been an advocate of

MindUP™ from the very start and that top down support for our SEL initiative has helped us tremendously. Across the United States, we continue to expand, launching and working with some of the largest school districts in the country. Our U.S. District Superintendents are very positive and supportive, helping us further expand MindUP™ across the country.

We launched Australia two years ago and interest in MindUP™ is still growing. We have made alliance partners there that are supporting our training efforts. Graham Watts, our global Education Director continues to lead this charge.

Keep your heart open & your mind up!– Goldie Hawn,

Founder of The Hawn Foundation

MindMattersSpring / Issue 1 / 2013

What’s inside This issueMindUP™ & Blue Zones Transform The Beach Cities! 2

United Way Selects MindUP™ 2

MindUP™ Produces Incredible Results for Kids & Schools 3

MindUP™ in the USA and around the world! 3

MindUP™ Training Schedule 2013 4

Letters from Texas: Report from MindUP™ Training 5

MindUP™ for Mental Health & Wellness 6

MindUP™ Launches in Hong Kong, China! 7

New Web-Portal & Digital On-Line Training Forum 7

Parties with a Purpose 8

Annabel’s in London 2013! 10

MindUP™ Expands UK Program 10

Helping Kids & Schools Tackle Bullying 11

In the Works 11

Message from our CEO 12

How Can We Help? 12

Greetings From Goldie.

2

Teachers using MindUP™ throughout Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach, and Manhattan Beach are now reporting:

Students are using greater self-regulation of emotions to resolve conflicts and remain calm, improving their thinking and focus abilities.

Fewer students are being sent to the office for conflict resolutions.

Academic performance and focus is improved while stress has been reduced.

This year, MindUP™ will be presenting Parent Workshops in “The Blue Zones” to ensure children have an opportunity to use these invaluable tools in their homes and families.

After a Gallup poll of 188 cities showed the Beach Cities of Southern California scoring 176th in stress, 160th in anger and 178th in worry, the Beach Cities Health District decided it was time for a change. Working with Blue Zones, the citizens and communities decided to implement Blue Zone’s transformational methods and made a variety of changes throughout their environments to improve the lives of those living and being educated in these regions.

MindUP™, The Hawn Foundation’s signature social and emotional learning curriculum was selected by Blue Zones and schools throughout the region to improve the overall well being of school aged children. Since inception in this region, MindUP™ has helped and inspired over 5000 kids spanning grades k-5. The results have been outstanding!

On Nov. 7, 2012, The United Way of Miami-Dade County kicked off their 12th Annual United Way Women's Leadership Breakfast and initiative with a keynote address from Goldie Hawn, who introduced the MindUP™ program to a crowd of more than 1200 early education professionals. As a guest of the Miller Family Foundation, Goldie also kicked off the day’s MindUP™ Training hosted by the United Way Center for Excellence in Early Education by sharing the exciting results MindUP™ is generating all over the country and explaining some of the new initiatives getting underway in Miami-Dade County. She also spent time reading to children who attend the Center’s Demonstration School.

MindUP™ has been launched in a number of Miami-Dade County schools, and a new alliance with the University of Miami for MindUP™ Medical is being created.

Stay tuned for more news from "the sunshine state" where we are kicking off some of our largest initiatives to date for children.

Imagine a world of more peaceful and optimistic classrooms, where children can learn more effectively! This is just one more real life example of how MindUP™ is changing lives and how The Hawn Foundation continues to expand opportunities for children through dynamic alliance partners like Blue Zones!

To explore an alliance with The Hawn Foundation or discuss how your company may want to impact the lives of children around the world with MindUP™, please contact Kimberly McNatt, CEO, The Hawn Foundation.

MindUPTM & Blue Zones Transform The Beach Cities!

United Way of Miami-dade County Selects MindUPTM for the Sunshine State!

Leslie Miller Saiontz, Sue Miller, THF Founder Goldie Hawn and Jean Scheinman, enjoying the events of the morning

United Way Board Chair Jayne Abess, Tracy Wilson Mourning, and United Way Women’s Leadership Breakfast Chair Ambassador Sue M. Cobb.

Our progress in Hong Kong is incredibly exciting, as we are in the early stages of embarking on bringing MindUP™ to the Pacific Rim and throughout Asia. We are currently piloting six schools and interest is growing, thanks to Justine Roche, who helped bring MindUP™ to Asia and continues to work with us on our expansion there.

One of my biggest dreams was to bring MindUP™ into Africa where children who have suffered violence, emotional loss and post-traumatic stress in war torn regions could benefit from MindUP™. This summer, we will have MindUP™ in Uganda for the first time, being researched by a University who is collecting data to see how it can help the children become more resilient and move forward with their lives. This is only the beginning and I am thrilled!

These dreams have no global boundaries and they define our future. And I am always inspired by

MindUP™ and the way it creates whole child wellness, reducing stress so they can be happy, imagine and innovate for a better world.

I believe that all children are born brilliant with endless potential. We must help them maintain their wonder, curiosity and nurture their optimism in the school environment, giving them the chance to thrive and succeed. A child who is stressed cannot learn. A child who is happy can. This isn’t just scientifically proven. Every child deserves to be happy.

I recall a visit to a fifth grade classroom. I asked the kids the question,” How does MindUP™ help you?” So many kids talked about stress, it brought tears to my eyes. I took a breath to steady my emotions and asked, ”What makes you stressed?” I heard many things… home life; fathers who were no longer living there; fear of test taking; inability

to sleep. One child said that MindUP™ helped him be less angry. “My best friend pushed me hard on the playground. I was really mad but I walked away, took a brain break and some breaths and then thought if I pushed him back, he wouldn’t be my best friend anymore.” “Good one” I said. “You made a really good choice!”

Now, if only some of our world leaders could think critically and constructively and take a brain break? Maybe we will get there. I hope so!

It’s good to visit with you. I invite you to join us to help our children thrive.

Be well and don't forget to breathe!

Warmly,

Goldie

3

Executive Functioning BRIEF Results (Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Functioning)

Over 1/3 of all students demonstrated greater emotional control.

75% of 3rd graders showed improved planning and organizational skills.

Improved Well- Being

78% of all students and 100% of all Kindergarten students said MindUP™ helped them be more relaxed.

2/3 of all students and 100% of all 3yr olds said MindUP™ helped them feel happy.

Improved Pro- Social Behavior

64% of all 4th and 5th graders demonstrated increased empathy.

90% of all students felt MindUP™ helped kids get along better.

Nursery School-Grade 5

MindUP™ was introduced at the Salesmanship Club’s Jonsson School February 2011. In preparation for MindUP™ implementation and training, the school did “pre-testing” with teachers and students, followed by comparison “post-testing” in June of 2011, in order to find out what kind of difference MindUP™ made in the classrooms and in the lives of the children.

The Jonsson School study looked at changes in student executive functioning as well as peer acceptance for students age 3 through 3rd grade. The 4th and 5th grade students were evaluated for changes in peer acceptance, empathy, perspective taking, mindfulness and happiness. A summary of the results is listed below. For the complete report see: brainchildblog.com

Positive Teacher Response

100% of teachers reported that the MindUP™ program had a positive effect on the students in their classes this year.

new independent Research Confirms MindUPTM Produces incredible Results for Kids & Schools in Texas!as reported by the salesmanship Club’s Jonsson school

in the US & around the world!MindUP™ Locations: This map shows all of the places where MindUP™ is helping students increase their focus and improve their academic performance and resiliency, all while cultivating greater optimism, empathy and overall well-being.

4

April 15, 2013 MindUP™ Training for St. Saviours Church of England School in Tower Hamlets, London, UK

April 18, 2013 MindUP™ Training for ARK Atwood Academy in Kensal Rise, London, UK

April 22, 2013 MindUP™ Training for Queensbridge Primary School in Hackney London, UK

April 24, 2013

MindUP™ Training for teachers and a MindUP™ Parent Workshop at Addison Primary School Hammersmith, London, UK

April 26, 2013 MindUP™ Regional Workshop in Plymouth, MN

April 27th, 2013 MindUP™ Regional Workshop in Albany, NY

May 5-12, 2013 Hong Kong Schools MindUP™ training

May 16, 2013 21st Century Learning Centers Science Camp Booster in North Adams, MA

2013 ScHEdulE As of this print date. Please check on-line for the most up to the minute listing of schedule workshops at TheHawnFoundation.org.

April 5, 2013 OnSite MindUP™ Training at Unison Middle School in Brooklyn, NY

April 11, 2013 MindUP™ Parent Workshop hosted by Highland Elementary in Rifle, CO

April 12, 2013 MindUP™ Refresher workshop at Highland Elementary in Rifle, CO

April 13, 2013 MindUP™ Regional Workshop in Carbondale, CO

April 15, 2013 MindUP™ Refresher workshop at Crystal River Elementary in Carbondale, CO

April 15, 2013 MindUP™ Training for St. Paul's Cathedral School and St. Michael's School in Hackney, London, UK

May 24, 2013 OnSite MindUP™ Training at Kennedy Middle School in Cupertino, CA

May 25, 2013 MindUP™ Regional Workshop in Richmond, VA

June 3, 2013 Lombard District Introductory Workshop in Lombard, IL

June 4, 2013 Kruse Elementary School OnSite MindUP™ Training in Ft. Collins, CO

June 4, 2013 San Francisco Elementary Schools OnSite MindUP™ Training in San Francisco, CA

June 5, 2013 DreamIdeal Schools OnSite MindUP™ Training in Palm Beach, FL

August 12-16, 2013 MindUP™ Training at Hong Kong schools

August 15, 2013 District MindUP™ Training for the Cascade Union School District in Anderson, CA

October 11, 2013 MindUP™ Refresher workshop Aspen Elementary in Los Alamos, NM

October 12, 2013 Rio Grande Elementary School OnSite MindUp™ Training in Santa Fe, NM

What’s new… MindUPTM Training Expands!

Attend a Workshop!

Adopt a School & Sponsor Training!

MindUP™ currently operates training programs across the globe. Find an upcoming MindUP™ workshop throughout the United States, in Vancouver, Canada, across the UK, Australia and in Hong Kong, China. Here’s a partial listing of training workshops coming soon!

Come join us!

Tell a friend!

Refer a Teacher!

5

On January 24 and 25, over sixty educators and school leaders from the mid and southwest attended an exhilarating workshop on MindUP™ hosted by the Salesmanship Club’s Jonsson School. We were thrilled to meet educators from Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma and Missouri and those working with students with special needs and students in foster care. All were interested in learning how MindUP™ can serve their particular populations and classrooms.

Participants engaged in small group discussions and interactive activities as well as having the good fortune to observe the lessons in action at a model MindUP™ school.

Teachers were impressed by the simplicity of the MindUP™ curriculum and the effective framework it creates to enable the successful instruction of core standards. School leaders were enthused by the power the MindUP™ program has to transform school culture to one that prepares students to meet 21st century challenges through the cultivation of optimism and resiliency. “The opportunity to observe lessons in the classroom was very helpful,” commented one participant, “Seeing the program in action was enlightening!” And another noted, “The presentation was eye opening in terms of the concepts of the brain and its relevance for teaching children. I will be incorporating it into my classroom!”

Everyone present was inspired by The Jonsson School and the way this faculty has made MindUP™ a “way of life.” These educators have truly integrated MindUP™ into every aspect of their school, from visual reminders in the hallways to classroom projects like Gratitude Trees and Brain Cap Couplets, through music and poetry and dance. We even saw examples of MindUP™ in the Teacher’s Lounge, reminding all of how MindUP™ helps students engage and succeed. Thank you to everyone at this wonderful school for the inspiration and motivation!

Texas Training: Report from a MindUPTM Regional Training Workshop!

Czion shares some thoughts about what mindfulness is

Kevin gives us some excellent advice on how to handle a bully!

When someone is being mean to you walk to an adult. It doesn’t

matter if he calls you tattle tale. Just tell. If the bully gets in front of you and if there is

a teacher behind tell them what happened. You are being thoughtful and

making good choices.

Tamar Hyatt (left) and Amelia Earhart

(right) Learning Center in Dallas

(Left to right) Michelle Kinder,

Executive Director of The Salesmanship Club; Sarah

Fallon, 2nd grade teacher and Katie Cotton, 4th grade teacher

at The Salesmanship Club’s J. Erik Jonsson Community

School in Dallas

Veronica Figueroa (left) and Donna Verheyden (right),

Sidney Lanier Elementary Dallas

Mindfulness is something that you use to be helpful and kind.

For example: Like helping someone because they broke their arm. Sometimes when you do a

good deed for a person and they will do something for you. Sometimes when a mom or dad helps you that is being kind. When your mom bakes

you a cake thank her.

6

I have been involved with the MindUP™ program for seven years and was privileged to be a member of the original curriculum writing team with Scholastic. Over the years, I have implemented the program in the classroom and have taught educators all over the country how to do the same. As a former teacher and high school principal, and as a current district administrator, I can vouch for the wonderful impact that MindUP™ has had on thousands of students.

Today, teachers from over 40 schools in the Minneapolis metropolitan area are using MindUP™ with students who are enrolled in special education programs and in schools for youth identified as “at-risk” due to factors such as poverty, chemical abuse, early pregnancy, gang involvement, homelessness, and more

MinduP’s impact is phenomenal. Teacher testimonials tell the story:

MinduP™ Influences Behavioral control…

One of the students was not in the room when I began class because he was struggling with his behaviors in another part of the building. We started our breathing without him and were in the middle of it when we heard loud rapping on the window. The student, still struggling to manage his behavior, was outside the building pounding on the classroom window. The other students and I continued our breathing. I simply said, “Here is a challenge for us, just bring your attention back to your breath.” No one else said a word. The students finished their breathing and the other student, gaining no attention from his action, ceased to bang on the window. Because our students are in a restrictive special education site, their peers struggle with severe behaviors. For them to demonstrate the ability to manage their attention with such distraction is an incredible accomplishment.

MinduP™ Impacts & Reaches children challenged with Autism…

A 7th grade student with Autism approached me after our lesson on neuroscience. He said, “I always thought that I wanted to be a police officer but now it’s a tie between becoming a cop or a

neuroscientist! Actually, isn’t a neuroscientist kind of like a brain cop trying to keep the mind in line?” I had to admit - he has a point.

In another example, “A parent of one of my students who has Autism said that she practices mindful breathing with him every night and that he won’t let her forget to do it because it helps him sleep.”

MinduP™ Influences Healthy Behaviors with Families…

A toddler of a teen parent reported that his mom had yelled at him the previous night. His pre-school teacher said, “Oh, I’m sorry to hear that; what did you do?” He responded, “I said, ‘Breathe, Mommy, breathe,’ and she did. I told her, ‘Good job, mommy, you remembered your breathing.’”

MinduP™ Builds Gratitude & community Awareness…

After learning about giving back to the community during MindUP™ lessons, our teens decided to send toothbrushes and toothpaste to victims of Hurricane Sandy. They collected over 1,000 items and shipped them to New York. In past years, students raised money for victims of the Haiti earthquake and Japan’s tsunami. Locally, they volunteer at Feed My Starving Children and the Crisis Nursery. You can’t stop these kids from giving to communities in needl; it helps them realize that, even though they have challenges, when they give to others they experience joy and optimism.”

MinduP™ Breeds Greater compassion…

“An 8th grader’s apology after pushing a classmate: ‘My frontal lobe wasn’t doing its job - sorry about that.’”

In conclusion…

Stories like this abound: teachers and students love MindUP™. It can be used to strengthen any content learning area and address common core learning standards in social and emotional competence. How serendipitous that it also happens to be fun, engaging, calming, and joyful!

Dr. Char Myklebust is a member of The Hawn Foundation’s Education Advisory & District Specialist’s Team. She has been a long-time advocate of MindUP™ and instrumental in the development of our program.

MindUPTM for Mental Health & Wellness! an excerpt on MindUP’s impact from a Minneapolis, Minnesota educator & District administrator By dr. Char Myklebust, Psy. d., Executive director of Mental Health and Partnerships intermediate district 287

7

MindUP™ training workshop at Beacon Hill School, Hong Kong

MindUP™. In addition, persons working with or implementing MindUP™ in schools or after school programs, will have the opportunity via a password protected extranet portal to access and interact with peers in a more engaging way. Revisit our site frequently in the 2nd and 3rd quarters of 2013 to see the transformation!

The Hawn Foundation is set to launch a new digital training platform where educators can access resource information, shared best practices, implementation examples from schools, report MindUP™ evaluations, get inspired by video training links and engage in a new MindUP™ on-line forum! Scheduled completion date is June 2013.

For months, The Hawn Foundation has been working on the creation of a dynamic and effective online resource for Educators interested in learning about and utilizing the MindUP™ program. The goal of the project is to create an online forum and MindUP™ Community where educators from around the world who are using MindUP™ with students can share their success, ask questions and explore peer solutions to student challenges, as well as access video lesson links and ideas for school implementation strategies.

To this end, we have undertaken a comprehensive website redesign whereby teachers, funders and anyone interested in exploring MindUP™ can access more dynamic general content about the work of The Hawn Foundation and our program,

To apply for your MindUP™ password, please send a request to info@thehawnfoundation.org.

For advertising, editorial or content submission inquiries, please contact: monica.alatore@thehawnfoundation.org.

new Web-Portal & digital On-Line Training Forum for Educators Coming Soon!

7-year old boy based in Hong Kong. Her school wrote her a letter to let her know that her son

as part of MindUP™, needed to practice his deep breathing and mentioning that the purpose of this was to learn how to relax. Right from the start, he was quite keen to talk about his brain and the various parts.

We have been practicing his deep breathing at home (or in the car) and he has got better at it. He can now do about eight deep breaths whereas in the beginning he couldn’t do any. We do it together which helps me also to calm down, and refocus in the moment, and take a better approach to discipline or the situation at hand.

Now when he’s not controlling or regulating himself well, I say to him: “That’s your amygdala that’s working; now let’s practice calming it down!”

This thrills us to hear! We applaud parents like Louise for practicing mindfulness skills with their children!

The first series of MindUP™ workshops in Hong Kong commenced this past Fall, led by Becky Calos, U.S. Director of Programs and Training and Molly Lawlor, Program Developer and Researcher from The University of British Columbia with over 70 educators, administrators and child advocates in attendance at on-site school trainings and parent workshops.

Multiple Hong Kong schools are piloting MindUP™, currently reaching 1500 children and 220 educators. These schools include: The Singapore International School, Beacon Hill ESF School, Carmel School as well as local elementary schools. Justine Roche, Regional Director for Asia for The Hawn Foundation, expects the growth and interest in MindUP™ to continue in the region in 2013. Trainers will return to Hong Kong in May for new trainings and on-site visits to see the children and educator’s progress in adapting MindUP™ culturally into Asia and the Pacific Rim.

These educators and many like them are giving real life skills to children in Hong Kong. Here is part of a letter from Louise Garnaut, a parent of a

MindUPTM Launches in Hong Kong, China!

Susan Chung, Vice Principal of Beacon Hill School, Hong Kong, participating in the Mindful Smelling activity.

Gail Walshe of Clearwater Bay School Hong Kong, attending the Hong Kong Regional MindUP™ Workshop

8

Thanks to our hosts and generous contributors Lexie & Robert Potamkin, and Host Committee members Heidi Houston, Melony Lewis, Susan Plummer, Carolyn Powers & Nancy Spears!

When it comes to the Aspen Community, huge amounts of snow was no obstacle as friends, educators, school district administrators and donors gathered at Lexie and Robert Potamkin’s gorgeous home to join Founder Goldie Hawn, actor Kurt Russell and others for a cocktail soiree with holiday theme, complete with falling snow and lots of it! The event which featured guitar stylings, a performance by Lexie’s daughter Ayla, scrumptious food, drinks and great conversations about MindUP™, raised money for MindUP™ expansion on-line and new trainings in the Roaring Fork Valley, Colorado!

Parties with a Purpose…Benefit The Hawn Foundation!

Hosts Robert & Lexie Potamkin with daughter Ayla, greeting Goldie Hawn & Kurt Russell

Members of our wonderful host committee! Melony Lewis, Carolyn Plummer, Susan Powers, & Nancy Spears (not pictured: Lexie Potamkin & Heidi Houston)

Goldie, with Aspen School Superintendent John Maloy & his wife Lori

Aspen Fundraiser Brings Snow & MinduP™ to More locations in the Roaring Fork Valley!

Photo credits this page: Cathy Miller, cathymillerimages.com

9

Hosts Joan Dale & R D Hubbard gathered friends at BigHorn to raise over $200,000 for children, with Host Committee members: Mr & Mrs Johnny Cope, Mr & Mrs Jay Geldmacher, Mr & Mrs Robert Masterson and Mr & Mrs James Gagan

On a gorgeous night in the desert at the beautiful new home of Joan Dale & R.D. Hubbard, residents of BigHorn gathered with Goldie Hawn & family to raise over $200,000 for expanding MindUP™. Delicious edibles from the BigHorn Golf Club culinary team and generously donated wine from Ampelos Vineyards set the stage for BigHorn residents to come together to learn more about MindUP™ as Founder Goldie Hawn shared our upcoming initiatives with the crowd. Titans of industry and philanthropy stepped up to make the difference, pledging support to expand MindUP™ to benefit kids across the globe!

If you would like to host a fundraising event to benefit MindUP™, please contact Kimberly McNatt, CEO at Kimberly mcnatt@thehawnfoundation org

Leisa Austin, Harold Matzner, R.D. Hubbard,

JoAnn McGrath and Joan Dale Hubbard

Goldie & our fabulous, long time supporter Jay Geldmacher of

Emerson Electric

BigHorn Golf club Residents, Palm desert, california Join Forces to Support MinduP™!

Photo credits this page: Pat Lassy Photography

10

The Hawn Foundation’s signature event & fundraising initiative at the incomparable Annabel’s in London this March featured the Phly Boyz, Sky Sports anchor Di Dougherty, and business icons from around the world.

This year’s event was an incredible success, raising over £250,000 to bring the MindUP™ programme to over 6000 children across the UK. Hosted by Founder Goldie Hawn and her partner Kurt Russell, along with generous underwriting from Richard Caring, 130 special guests enjoyed an amazing performance by the Phly Boyz, and had the chance to win prizes such as a VIP yacht weekend, golf outings, music experiences, jewelry, and a “Power Lunch” with Goldie Hawn and Kate Hudson.

For details or for more information about our UK programs and events please call +44 (0) 20 7349 7028 or email: graham.watts@thehawnfoundation.co.uk

Annabel’s in London 2013!

reaction to a given situation. Imagine being a child who has spent most of his life labelled as ‘bad’ or ‘naughty,’ who suddenly comes to the realisation that it’s actually a chemical reaction in his brain and that he can learn to control it, that he can effectively re-program his brain so that his reaction is the right one! It lifts a huge burden from his shoulders.

Our whole school has been incorporating mindful techniques into day-to-day life, though mindful listening and mindful breathing. It’s wonderful to go into a classroom after lunch and to see a sea of calmness as children listen to soothing music and practice their mindful breathing. After an hour of tearing around the playground, it has always been difficult to get children ready and settled for the afternoon’s work, but our new techniques are working wonderfully.

The children have taken these techniques and applied them to their lives outside of school as well: one child told me that now when he gets ‘mad’ with his sisters, instead of shouting and losing his temper, he goes off by himself and practices his breathing until he is calm. So MindUP™ has an effect on the community not just the children in the school.

MindUP™ is more than just a program or curriculum of lessons to be taught to children. It has changed the whole school ethos as children and adults alike have learned to be more self-aware and also aware of how their behaviours and reactions in turn impact upon others.”

MindUP™ School Partnerships in the UK now exceed 23 schools thus far, surpassing expectations and reaching 620 teachers and 7000 students. With an approach that has included clusters of school partners in three geographic regions of London (including West London (Hounslow and surrounds), East London (Hackney and surrounds) and Central London (Kensington and Chelsea and surrounds), MindUP™ is growing exponentially inside UK schools.

According to The Hawn Foundation's Director of Global Education and Manager of UK Education Initiatives, Graham Watts, MindUP™ has impacted schools across all socio economic spectrums but some of the greatest advances in academic performance and gains in social and emotional learning have occurred in primary school children in low socio economic areas. These children are showing significant increases in emotional self management and happiness after completing the MindUP™ core program, compared to pre-intervention data.

At Lauriston in Hackney, England, students use MindUP™ techniques to prepare for different lessons, as varied as doing a dramatic role in Drama Class, to visualizing success in sports prior to their athletic venture, to getting ready to focus attention on an exam. And in Hackney, headteacher Catrina Tilbury at Nightingale School shares what MindUP™ is doing for her school and students:

“Children are learning about how they can control what goes on in their brains, and how they can change their emotional state and therefore their

MindUPTM Expands United Kingdom Program Reaching Thousands of Kids & Educators!

Goldie Hawn, Foundation, visits children and teachers at Lauriston Primary School, Hackney, London.

11

in the Works & Coming Soon!Science Advisory Board Being Formed…

Dr. Kimberly Schonert Reichl, Ph.D., Human Development, Learning and Culture Program Coordinator / Dept. of Educational and Counseling Psychology and Special Education, University of British Columbia will serve as Chair of The Hawn Foundation’s Science Advisory Board.

MinduP™ Family Gets underway: Parent Workshops / Pilot Programs completed…

Six different pilot programs for MindUP™ Family have been launched in Colorado successfully and to great accolades from parents using MindUP™! The initial draft of the MindUP™ Family Curriculum, developed by Michelle Kinder and Heather Bryant of the Salesmanship Club’s Jonsson School, is also

MinduP™ Expands Training Platform with 12 month School Support Model…

Adding Parent Workshops & Digital Training! In an effort to insure the fidelity of the MindUP™ training remains in tact and that schools and educators have options for reinforcement post training experience, The Hawn Foundation has created a 12 month support plan to assist schools with their overall implementation. Included in this platform are on-going communiqués with Educators and Administration; Digital Training Reinforcement; Parent Workshops; and a mid-year on-site Refresher Workshop; all leading to certification.

longitudinal Study Gets underway…

New research will be completed on one of the control groups tested back in 2008 to ascertain the long-term effects and efficacy of MindUP™. Stay tuned for details. Anticipated completion date is Summer 2013 for data.

Facilitator, also shared with us a great anecdote from her school’s Anti-Bullying Day:

“After teaching the lesson on Perspective Taking, I read the book It's Okay To Be Different by Todd Parr. We did an activity

where the children drew and wrote about ways to be different with slogans on a pink paper t-shirt, and then

the pink t-shirts were posted on a bulletin board outside my classroom. One day, the children were waiting to come in after recess and two little girls were reading the slogans on the t-shirts. A teacher walked by and the children watched him in awe because he was completely bald. Shiny bald. The two little girls stopped their conversation in the middle of a word, watched him go by and down

the hall. One girl turned to the other and said very sagely, ‘It’ okay to have no hair.’ They nodded to

each other in agreement.”

Children are taking the MindUP™ lessons to heart, and becoming more accepting, compassionate, and aware of the

world around them!

Bullying is a massive concern in schoolyards and classrooms these days, and with good reason. In the U.S., thousands of kids skip school each day because they fear being bullied; 1 in 3 students will be bullied this year, and 60% of all students observe bullying taking place around them.* MindUP’s universal intervention strategies are helping, and MindUP™ Schools are reporting a reduction in aggression and an increase in compassion and empathy. The Salesmanship Club’s Jonsson School, in Dallas Texas, reports that 64% of all 4th and 5th graders demonstrated increased empathy and 90% of all students felt like MindUP™ helped kids get along better.

Stats like these are encouraging! They show that MindUP™ helps schools improve safety and create strong learning environments by building positive relationships for students, teachers, staff, and the community at large.

Patricia Morris, a Kindergarten teacher at Renfrew Elementary School in Vancouver and a senior MindUP™

MindUPTM Helps Kids and Schools Tackle Bullying

under review by educators and psychologists. Stay tuned for more details as MindUP™ Family onboards in 2013, dedicated to changing the lives of students and their families in the home environment, for a better, overall healthy state of well being for children!

* National Crime Prevention Council.

12

Far and away the best prize that

life has to offer is the chance to

work hard at work worth doing.

– Theodore Roosevelt

The Hawn Foundation is based in Santa Monica, California with new corporate offices in Miami, Florida and satellite training centers in Vancouver, Canada; London, United Kingdom and Hong Kong, China.

For all media requests or inquiries regarding our Board of Directors, strategic alliances, marketing, global program expansions or new ventures, please contact: Kimberly McNatt, CEO, 305-424-1655 or kimberly.mcnatt@thehawnfoundation.org

For upcoming event, grant and general information on The Hawn Foundation, please contact: Monica Alatorre, Director of Communications and Grant Writing, 305-424-1655 or monica.alatorre@thehawnfoundation.org

To bring MindUP™ to your district, school or after care center or to inquire about becoming a MindUP™ trainer, please contact: Rebecca Calos, Director of Programs and Training, 305-424-1655 or rebecca.calos@thehawnfoundation.org.

For MindUP™ Family/Parent Workshop Information or for Training Requests in Colorado, Texas or New Mexico, please contact: Victoria Gonzalez, Director of Administration, 305-424-1655 or victoria.gonzalez@thehawnfoundation.org.

For international program or training inquiries:

In the United Kingdom and Australia, please contact Graham Watts, Director of Education, The Hawn Foundation UK at +44 (0) 20 7349 7028 or graham.watts@thehawnfoundation.co.uk

In Hong Kong, please contact Justine Roche at +852 6291 8688 or justine.roche@thehawnfoundation.org

In Canada, please contact Lisa Pedrini, MindUP™ Coordinator for our Western Canada Region: at lpedrini@vsb.bc.ca

For all other inquiries, please call our general information line at 424-253-HAWN (4296) or write to us at info@thehawnfoundation org We look forward to hearing from you!

I am constantly in awe of the extraordinary Educators and thought leaders who are serving as Change Agents for student learning and engagement by using MindUP™. As an organization, we are so fortunate to have the incredible talents found within our legions of volunteers, donors, trainers, educators, administrators and staff all tirelessly working to bring MindUP™ to more children across the globe. As The Hawn Foundation celebrates 10 years of evolution with MindUP™, our signature program, I’m reminded on a daily basis of the need that inspired Goldie to create this program and the fact that this is “work worth doing”.

The “state of the union” for children today, statistically, is staggering, disturbing and more importantly, changeable! Consider... Kids are more distracted than ever. Academic performance in the US as compared to other countries in a variety of subjects isn’t as good as it can be. Focus is down. Stress is up. Optimism for some children seems almost nonexistent. In my estimation, these are circumstances so very unfair for the little ones, who will become our future soon enough! MindUP™ changes that on every level with extended benefits that have “real life” impact on children and our world at large.

There is a ground swell rising now around social and emotional learning, neuroscience and the basic principles of mindfulness, all key components of MindUP™. As human beings, we have learned

hard lessons about what happens with children who lack these important skills needed to navigate the challenges of our modern world. The time is now to make headway, to “get to work” on the problem, to “step up and out” of our comfort zone to help create impact and grow opportunities for

children to survive and thrive!

This for me and our entire staff, volunteers, donors, educators and school district administrators is and always will be “work worth doing” and for our incomparable Founder Goldie, who works on a daily basis to this end, a life’s legacy of good works to leave behind.

So as you go about your “work” today, in whatever context that may be, I encourage you to ask

yourself, “If this work worth doing?”

We answer “YES” to that question each and everyday with MindUP™, and hope you consider becoming involved!

Time to get to work… Wishing you all good things…

P.S. All of us at The Hawn Foundation welcome your questions, ideas and inspirations. Please don’t hesitate to contact me or any member of our team to share your ideas and inspirations!

How Can We Help? Message from our CEO

Follow Us thehawnfoundation

THFMindUP @hawnfoundation @MindUP4Success

www.TheHawnFoundation.org