Yoga and Wellness Club starts at MHS

Mary Brighton, Staff Writer

A new organization at Manhattan High is helping participants focus on self-improvement but not in a typical way. 

The difference between the Yoga and Wellness Club and any other organization is that there’s a teacher and student group. Visual arts teacher Freyja Geankoplis is the instructor; she’s been using mindfulness in the classroom for years and has decided to share it with both students and staff at MHS.

In a typical meeting once everyone arrives, they start with meditation and basic movements, and then build up into full poses including heat in the process. Finishing with a cool-down, the sessions are designed to relax people. 

Geankoplis is a certified instructor and balances that on top of teaching. 

“It’s just kind of a drop-in like if you’re able to make it, great, it’s very low pressure,” Geankoplis said. 

Coming out of COVID-19 people have had trouble getting others interested in their clubs and activities, but for Yoga and Meditation Club it’s been beneficial. 

“I feel like a lot of things have shifted towards virtual, and in some areas that can be very negative or detrimental but in this area it seems to be very positive,” Geankoplis said.

Her hope is to run the club all year and continue to practice that mindfulness. 

“You never do yoga and go like ‘wow I really regret that,’” she said.