In New Mexico, Brain Education instructors at the Body and Brain Center have been engaged in outreach activities since 2012 aimed at promoting Brain Education among local children and teenagers. These activities started with the Boys & Girls Club of Santa Fe in 2012 and have since benefited local Santa Fe schools, La Tierra Montessori School for the Arts and Sciences, and the State Board of Education in New Mexico, to which the principles and activities of Brain Education were introduced.
These efforts have paid off with Brain Education included in training programs for school teachers and provided to students and teachers in New Mexico. In February 2023, the Senate of New Mexico declared Earth Citizens Day to promote Earth Citizenship for a sustainable ecosystem and world peace, the ultimate goal of Brain Education.
Designation of February 27, 2017 as Brain Education Day
In New Mexico, State Representative Linda Trujillo initiated a bill to designate February 27, 2017, as “Brain Education Day” to give due recognition to contributions made through Brain Education over the past five years across the state and it was passed by the State House of Representatives with unanimous votes. As a result, the New Mexico Department of Public Education reviewed the idea of incorporating Brain Education in vocational training programs for teachers and curriculum for students.
Pilot Project for Brain Education Launched in February 2018
In February 2018, the New Mexico Department of Public Education chose three schools to run Brain Education as a pilot project– Pojoaque Intermediate School, Pojoaque Sixth Grade Academy, Ramirez Thomas Elementary School—and requested the Body and Brain Center in the state to send instructors. In response, the Center organized the “Brain Education Project” team composed of professional Brain Education trainers.
The members of this team visited the three schools, where they taught lessons to teachers and students during the spring semester from February to May 2018. These lessons were modeled on the Brain Power 10 curriculum which had reaped successful results when taught to public schools in New York by Brain Power Wellness, a US-based teacher training institution. In a survey run after this project, students expressed satisfaction that they had gained confidence in their academic abilities.
“Students appeared to respond well to these strategies, as reflected within the results of the student survey that was conducted in April. Additionally, staff has reported that these activities have assisted them with classroom management; and improving students’ social behavior, emotional wellness and confidence. Overall, staff also tend to agree that these activities have assisted in improving students’ literacy skills; although at the time of the survey, these strategies were only implemented for approximately seven and a half weeks.”
Loretta Booker, Principal of Ramirez Thomas Elementary School, Santa Fe City
“At Pojoaque Valley Intermediate School, we are in full support of Brain Education and the implementation of Brain Power Exercises with our staff and students. The facilitators have been wonderful to work with and very attentive to the needs of our students and staff.
During the time that we had Brain Education staff working with our teachers and students, we received positive feedback with regard to improvement in team building, focus, creativity, and mindfulness. Students and teachers enjoyed the exercises that they learned and were very welcoming to this program within their classrooms.”
Staci Mascarenas, Principal of Pojoaque Valley Intermediate School
New Mexico Declared Feb 8, 2023 Earth Citizens Day
In a declaration on February 8, 2023, the New Mexico State Senate proclaimed that day Earth Citizen Day after a successful vote for the “Earth Citizens Day” Memorial Act.
The Senate said “This declaration demonstrates New Mexico’s leadership and commitment to sustainability and peace, and furthermore reminds and educates people of the necessity to take care of the planet as a shared home together with open hearts beyond the borders of nations and ideology.
The Memorial Act recognized that:
- Everyone living on Earth is an Earth Citizen
- Being an Earth Citizen means promoting mindful living, natural health, and world sustainability
- The Earth is facing many new challenges at once
- Change cannot happen without a change in consciousness
- A change in consciousness starts with accepting Earth Citizenship as an identity and common ground between people
- Ilchi lee founded the Earth Citizen Movement to connection one hundred million people in the spirit of Earth Citizenship
- These Earth Citizens would form the foundation of a peaceful and sustainable future by leading “mindful, harmonious, and holistically sustainable lives”
Because of this recognition, the state senate solved to demonstrate its commitment and leadership to sustainability and peace through the declaration of Earth Citizens Day. It hopes the declaration will remind everyone of the need to care for the planet and to embrace everyone with open hearts, regardless of their background or ideology.
The Senate delivered a copy of the declaration to Ilchi Lee, the founder and president of the Earth Citizens Organization (ECO). He expressed his gratitude for it, especially to Senator Rodriguez. He also sent his love, gratitude, and congratulations to all the members of the Earth Citizen Movement who had worked for a long time to bring it about.
Ilchi Lee has long talked about and promoted the idea and necessity for adopting an Earth Citizen mindset. He believes this declaration of Earth Citizens Day means that the time has come for everyone to agree that the final path humanity must now choose is coexistence and that it has become a great starting point and ignition point.