Thrive Youth Yoga’s Co-Founder, Stephanie Anderson, with her dog, Lisa, at her home in Coronado.
Photo: Kel Casey Photography
Coronado resident, Stephanie Anderson feels lucky every single day. Stephane, Coronado High School grad, ’82, and resident again since, 2011, says that it was the love of her grandparents who offered her ties to this beautiful town. Born in Coronado Hospital while her mother was living with her parents, Stephanie faced adverse situations. She grew-up with a single mother who had difficultly raising her. Because of this, Stephanie bounced between Coronado and family and friends growing up. Ultimately landing in Coronado again in 8th grade because her grandparents, well aware of her tenuous living conditions, assured that the family home could not be sold until she was an adult. “It is because my grandparents gave me a safe town to grown up in, one that provided me with wonderful, motivating teachers and a positive dynamic group of classmates, that I was able to avoid what could have been a difficult young adulthood, explained Stephanie, “other young women are not so fortunate.”
Motivated to help those young women, Stephanie and fellow yoga teacher, Heather Thurman, created Thrive Youth Yoga. Thrive’s mission is to bring yoga to students in the Community and Court School System: helping them to develop strength, flexibility, confidence, and self-awareness. Working with three other committed yoga teachers, Stephanie teaches yoga at the Bayside Community School in Barrio Logan (literally underneath the Bridge) for both boys and girls, ages 15-18, who are transitioning out of jail, or for some other reason are unable to attend their home school; young women at the Girls’ Rehabilitation Facility, who are incarcerated for one year or less; and in Juvenile Hall, Unit 70, for young women who are incarcerated for more than a year. The youth can choose the yoga classes for personal development credits, as a physical option, or as a recreation/wellness activity; participation is optional.
Stephanie explains: “These girls have had to cope with situations that most of us never will. Several of my students are pregnant, have been trafficked, have seen more violence that any young person should ever have to witness, and many have never been modeled the emotional skills to deal with any stressful situation, much less, the extreme difficulty of their situations.” Thrive’s goal is to help these students gain the ability to relax and self-reflect: to develop not only physical flexibility and strength, but also mental flexibility and strength. Stephanie hopes that the yoga might be one tool to help them retain new ways of coping with the ups and downs of real life.
Not all aspects of her volunteer efforts have been easy. When teaching in Juvenile Hall there are guards in the room with her at all times. Class has been interrupted by lock-downs because an altercation has broken out, although never in her yoga classes. While some of the girls respond right away to yoga, there are some who join the class simply as a change of pace from the sterile environment of a juvenile detention facility. ” Most of these girls have had tough lives and they’re used to being tough. Trying to balance on one foot, while bringing their hands together without falling down, can feel vulnerable. I make sure that I laugh at myself and remind them, that it’s only yoga. It’s supposed to be fun, not stressful, not competitive.”
Thrive’s work has created some wonderful partnerships. Fathom CrossFit, a strength and conditioning gym in Barrio Logan, donates their space for the Bayside School’s yoga classes. During her first couple of classes, the students at Bayside would show up in jeans, making it difficult for them to do yoga. In response, Alec Zirkenback, Fathom’s owner, ran a donation drive for sweatpants and shorts for the young yoga students. Bikram Yoga of San Diego’s owner, Jim Kallet, donated all the yoga mats for the classes. “These have been great partnerships and I am so grateful for the commitment of Fathom Crossfit and Bikram Yoga of San Diego,” says Stephanie.
While the administrators in the Juvenile Detention facility were not available for comment, the Program teacher at the Bayside Community School, Cheryl Lynch enthusiastically praises Thrive’s efforts: “More than learning the postures, it teaches the students that they can be successful in new situations. [Thrive Youth Yoga] has truly amazing teachers and people.” Cheryl continues, “I cannot express enough how much this yoga program means to me and the students.”
It means a lot to Stephanie too. While her students are facing many challenges now, Stephanie believes this doesn’t have to be permanent: “You never know where stength, flexibility, hard-work, focus, and love from others will take you.
