Healthy Community Initiative

Healthy Community Initiative (HCI) announces the award of the second Roger Jenni Investing in Youth Grant. The grant, named in memory of long-time Northfield band instructor Dr. Roger Jenni, is awarded to Investing in Youth applicants wishing to share the love of music with local youth.

The October grant will be given to Low-Incidence High School Special Education teachers Lisa Lagergren and Nicole Gill to bring a guest specialist, Shari Setchell, to the classroom on a bi-weekly basis to lead the group in therapeutic movement and dance. Lagergren and Gill work with a small group of students at Northfield High School with sensory integration challenges. This often prevents them from the opportunity to join their peers in physical activity, the arts and music. Their goal with this project is to provide a sensory-friendly opportunity to their students, which will reduce anxiety and increase participation.

Setchell is a registered Somatic Movement Therapist, and is also certified to teach AMT (Autism Movement Therapy) and yoga. Her hope is to enhance the students’ brain/body connections through the use of movement, music and dance.

“Music is particularly engaging to our students with a variety of needs, including autism, severe and multiple developmental and cognitive disabilities,” stated Lagergren and Gill. “Through music, we can help our students express their feelings, release their energy and learn new things. It can be very challenging to get even minimal physical activity for our students… but music is a pathway.”

Each year, HCI funds projects led by individuals or new groups that enrich the lives of Northfield youth. The Investing in Youth grants are intended as seed money to start a new project, not to sustain recurring projects or an ongoing program. Funds up to $300 per application – and $400 for the Roger Jenni grants – are available. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis and are reviewed monthly by the HCI Board.

For more information, please contact Amy Lunderby at 507-664-3531 or amy@healthycommunityinitiative.org.