CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — CASA of the Coastal Bend aims to break the cycle of child abuse and neglect, and to aid them in their mission to help children sort through difficult feelings, they are starting a youth yoga program.
Samantha Stemplinger of CASA is one of the yoga instructors that will help guide the foster youth program. She said it is important for the youth to be able to make sense of what they're feeling inside.
"Sometimes with children who go through trama, it's hard for them to communicate how they feel," Stemplinger said. "So to be able to connect those emotions with the physical feelings, it helps them work out what they're feeling."
Stemplinger believes the new program will benefit the youth of CASA in the long run.
"Yoga gives them the opportunity to look inward. It helps with building their self-esteem," Stemplinger said. "It helps with creating awareness. Giving them stability and balance that they don't have around them."
Scott Elliff is a volunteer at CASA but has always been involved with helping children in the Coastal Bend.
"So this is just another way to continue to be able to make a difference in the lives of young people in the community," Elliff said.
Before retiring, Elliff was the superintendent of the Corpus Christi Independent School District. He has 32 years of public education under his belt, and said working with CASA is very rewarding.
"It's also something that's very much needed," Elliff said.
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