Mindful Art Education Reinstates Signature Summer Camp in 2025
Mindful Art Education (MAE), in partnership with Easterseals South Florida and The Children’s Trust, has reintroduced its signature Mindfulness Summer Camp for the year 2025. This initiative aims to nurture creativity, mindfulness, and inner strength among children and adolescents. The camp’s return highlights its widespread appeal among families, educators, and young participants, emphasizing its role as a meaningful platform for self-discovery and growth.
The Mindfulness Summer Camp is designed for children aged 5 to 22 and concludes with an exhibition and a mindfulness celebration. This year’s event, titled “The Love Museum,” featured a heartfelt performance on Monday, July 21, 2025, celebrating the achievements of over 100 camp attendees from diverse backgrounds. The program offers tools such as breathing techniques, visual meditation, and expressive art, empowering children to process emotions, build confidence, and find peace within themselves.
Mindfulness plays a critical role in helping children develop emotional awareness and self-regulation, which are essential for overall well-being. Simple practices can reduce stress, help children feel calmer, and enhance their ability to relax, recharge at home, and focus in school. By fostering resilience and encouraging mindfulness, Alexandra Jeanty-Leclerc, founder of MAE, equips children with skills that support long-term success.
Parental feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, leading to the camp’s return as a cornerstone of MAE’s programming. “We are honored to continue developing programs that directly impact the families we serve,” said Ms. Jeanty-Leclerc. Each participant received a copy of Mindful Chickens, a children’s book by the founder that uses adventure and activities to teach mindfulness principles and promote environmental stewardship. In 2024, she released Mindful Pokie, a mindfulness book for parents and children.
Campers also engaged in creative projects, such as decorating tote bags with positive affirmations like “I am light” and “I feel outstanding.” These affirmations were chosen by the participants to reflect their personal growth and transformation through art. Additionally, attendees practiced the affirmations “I am, I feel, I see,” which help individuals build self-awareness, express emotions clearly, and stay grounded in the present moment.
Over the past year and a half, MAE has hosted impactful one-time events that expanded its reach and reinforced its mission as a creative force for good:
- Sunsets on South Beach (2025): A sunset celebration during Swim Week featuring a silent disco, happy hour, and immersive art experience.
- Safe in the 305 Community Block Party (2025): A vibrant event with live music, free food, kids’ activities, and wellness workshops.
- Autism Awareness Month (2025): MAE offered coding scholarships to students and is seeking sponsors for future events.
- Noche de Arte (2025): A live interview between Ms. Jeanty-Leclerc and artist Monica Isla exploring the healing power of art.
- Autism Awareness Fundraiser at Villa Paula (2024): A gathering in Little Haiti to raise awareness and advocate for neurodiverse inclusion.
These events have left a lasting impact on participants and communities. “It’s been rewarding to witness the impact of our work on children and families,” said Ms. Jeanty-Leclerc. “As we look beyond 2025, I hope to continue creating spaces where mindfulness, creativity, and community care come together.”
This summer’s camp was also held at the ARC Center Down South, where Ms. Jeanty-Leclerc offered mindfulness-based techniques twice a week. She is currently pursuing a master’s in Mental Health for Youth Counseling at Barry University and continues to volunteer with various organizations to bring mindfulness into schools and public spaces.
MAE is seeking community partners to open a physical Mindfulness Center in Little Haiti. Potential partners can contact Ms. Jeanty-Leclerc at 305-905-5435. The organization is also looking for talented writers to help expand its services and continue uplifting the community through meaningful content and outreach.
For more information or to get involved, visit www.mindfularteducation.org or follow @mindfularteducation on Instagram.
