WALDORF, Md. — Aspiring yoga teachers from Shabach Yoga Studios in Waldorf have completed a service project aimed at supporting Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) students in foster care. The cohort donated duffle bags filled with practical items such as toiletries, a blanket, a pillow, and a journal to help middle- and high-school-aged students in need.
The initiative was part of a required service project for trainees Kishanna Brown, Lisa Chinn, Williana Parker, Jocklyn Squirewell, and Nicole Stanton, who are working on yoga teacher training. The requirement, known as a SEVA project, aligns with the Sanskrit concept of “selfless service.”
Jocklyn Squirewell, a former special education teacher, spearheaded the idea after recalling the struggles faced by children in foster care.
“I learned that children in the foster care system carry or move their belongings in a trash bag. It is heartbreaking,” Squirewell said. “No human being should have to carry their personal belongings in a trash bag, and I have never forgotten that.”
Squirewell contacted Bethany Goodwin, CCPS Community Schools, Homeless and Foster Care District Coordinator, to determine what items would best meet the needs of students. The group purchased the bags and their contents using their own funds from local retailers. Two bags were designed for boys and two for girls, with items selected to be gender-neutral.
The cohort’s donation comes at a time when the need is significant; Goodwin confirmed there are about 100 CCPS students in foster care.
Squirewell shared that the most rewarding part of the project was seeing it come to fruition.
“These children and their living situations have been in my heart for many years, and to finally provide for them was an amazing feeling,” she said.
Squirewell urged the community to think of foster children, especially during the holiday season.
“There are so many children still in need,” she said.
If anyone would like to donate to the students of Charles County, please contact Bethany Goodwin at bgoodwin@ccboe.com.
The group’s SEVA project reflects the values of the Shabach Yoga Studios program, emphasizing not only the physical practice of yoga but also its principles of compassion and service to the community.
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