Schools and libraries are more than just places for learning—they are the heart of a community’s growth and resilience. Every day, educators and librarians provide captivating, curiosity-sparking resources that nurture the essential “human skills” children need to thrive. These skills—paying focused attention, regulating emotions, coping with trauma, and building emotional intelligence—are not extras. They are the foundation for learning, social connection, and mental wellness.
Yet, while the need for these skills has never been greater, the funding to support them has never been more uncertain.
The Perpetual Funding Puzzle
Most schools would gladly invest more in student mental well-being and focus-building programs. They see the impact every day when children can self-regulate, manage frustration, and support one another. But budget cuts continue to challenge those goals.
Although numerous recent reports highlight a generalized legislative desire to lift students throughout their educational journey, this has not yielded significant increases in funding for mental health and other skills supporting emotional regulation and attentional training. It was also reported by FutureEd that in 2025 state of the state speeches, many state governors prioritized strengthening the teaching profession and addressed youth mental health education. The need is widely known, yet funding remains scarce.
While some states, including Colorado, are expanding in emotional regulation curriculum and mental health supports, many other states face stagnant or reduced allocations for these areas. Many districts end up using Title I funds (designed for reading/math enrichment in low-income communities) and Title IV funds (intended for well-rounded education and safe, healthy students) to fill these gaps, often prioritizing academic remediation over skill-building for emotional wellness.
Uncertainty remains regarding even the most basic funding for schools. On June 30, an article published by The learning Policy Institute reported that states were notified that “decisions have not yet been made concerning submissions and awards for this upcoming academic year,” with no date provided for when or if states would receive these funds.
That leaves a gap between what educators want to provide, what budgets will allow, and how schools can be ready for the start of school.
How Communities Bridge the Gap
There’s good news: innovation doesn’t have to be expensive. Schools and libraries are finding creative ways to introduce high-quality, evidence-based self-regulation programs by partnering with public libraries, community foundations, and corporate sponsors.
When libraries host these programs, teachers can access them without additional cost to the school budget. Corporate sponsorships can underwrite materials or professional development, making it possible to bring resilience- and focus-building curricula to more students for less than the cost of a single textbook set.
A Low-Cost, High-Impact Solution That Works
Mind Body Align partners with both schools and libraries to bring a proven, beloved curriculum into communities: Labyrinth Adventures. Designed by licensed educators and backed by measurable results, the program plants “self-regulation seeds” in early learners that grow year after year.
Here’s how it works:
- Step1: Teachers bring the Labyrinth Adventures curriculum to life in their classroom. Each 20-minute session, just twice a week, helps students practice regulation and focus in ways that are easy to reinforce during transitions, morning meetings, lunch, or any moment of stress.
- Step 3: The program “steps up” as children age, keeping pace with their developmental needs while reinforcing earlier lessons.
Brooke Unger, an elementary teacher who uses the curriculum, puts it simply:
“From the kids’ perspective, they love listening to a story and playing a game. At the same time, they’re also building important skills—learning how to focus their attention and manage their emotions.”
Brooke’s favorite character is Cleo the caterpillar, who grows and changes through the 16-story curriculum. Cleo faces challenges familiar to every child—confidence struggles, teasing, bullying—and learns to cope, adapt, and be a good friend.
What’s Included & Cost
The Labyrinth Adventures curriculum includes:
- 16 illustrated storybooks featuring Tia, Cleo, Dwight, and friends navigating relatable childhood challenges
- Teacher lesson plans with step-by-step scripts
- Student activity pages and cross-curricular extension ideas
- Access to digital videos and read-alouds for flexible teaching
Cost: One-time purchase starting under $500 per classroom, with lasting benefits and no annual renewal required.
Two Ways to Bring Labyrinth Adventures to Your Community
1. Ask your library to make the program available for your classroom.
Here’s a sample email you can send:
Subject: Request to Add Labyrinth Adventures Curriculum to Our Library
Dear [Librarian’s Name],
I’m writing to share an exciting opportunity for our community. Labyrinth Adventures is a curriculum that teaches children skills in focus, emotion regulation, and coping with challenges—through engaging stories and activities they love.
If our library could offer this program, teachers like me could bring these vital lessons into our classrooms at no additional school cost.
You can learn more here: [Insert Mind Body Align program link].
Thank you for considering this meaningful addition to our library’s resources.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
2. Ask your school to bring the program into your library.
If your school has a media center or in-house library, advocate for adding the curriculum so that every teacher has access year-round. This can be funded through Title IV grants, PTA support, or community sponsorships.
By making whole child development a shared priority between schools and libraries, we turn both into heroes—not just delivering knowledge, but nurturing the attention, resilience, and emotional wellness that last a lifetime.
