Private (Vedic, consciousness-based) School in Iowa Rakes in Top Awards at State Competitions

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Small Private School in Iowa Rakes in Top Awards at State Competitions

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"When it comes to competitions in the arts and more genteel sports--tennis,

running, golf and the like--are Maharishi kids taking over or what?"

--Chuck Offenburger, columnist of Des Moines Register

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FAIRFIELD, IOWA--Every spring, students from schools across the nation vie with

each other--matching their wits and skills--in the sciences, the arts, and

other competitions in hope of becoming state champions.

In Iowa, a small, private school is raking in dozens of such top honors and

gaining recognition throughout the state as an academic powerhouse. The school

is Maharishi School of the Age of Enlightenment.

School Captures Three First-Place Awards at Odyssey of the Mind State Finals

Last week, competing against over 250 schools at the 13th annual state finals of

Odyssey of the Mind, Maharishi School students captured nearly 25 percent of the

first-place awards. No other school in Iowa claimed as many top honors--three

first-place awards and one second-place in 13 categories.

Odyssey of the Mind is a worldwide program that promotes creative, team-based

problem solving for kids from kindergarten through college. Schools attend

regional competitions, followed by state competitions, with first-place teams

going on to the World Finals. Typically, schools send their most "talented and

gifted" students to participate in Odyssey of the Mind, but at Maharishi

School, any student who has an interest is allowed to participate in the

program. Last year, a team of Maharishi Upper School students won sixth place

at the world competitions held in Orlando, Florida. This year, Maharishi School

will be sending three of the 13 teams representing Iowa at the World Finals held

in Knoxville, Tennessee from May 26-30.

Tip of the Iceberg of Achievements

Ashley Deans, Ph.D., the School's director, said that these achievements are

only the tip of the iceberg. Last month, Maharishi School ranked first in the

American High School Mathematics Exam, Iowa Class II-A, for the fourth year in

a row. A Maharishi student also won first prize at the Eastern Iowa Science and

Engineering Fair, Jr. Division, and another student won first place at the State

Academic Decathlon. And, for the third time in the past five years, a team of

Maharishi Upper School students won the "Critic's Choice" award for the state's

best choral reading.

Last fall, all grades 9-12 at Maharishi School scored in the 99th percentile on

the composite scores of the Iowa Tests of Educational Development (ITED) for

the fourth year in a row. ITED is a standardized, national achievement test

that includes seven areas: vocabulary, quantitative thinking, expression,

social studies, science, literary materials, and sources of information.

In the past 15 years, Maharishi School students have won over 60 first-place

state titles in science, speech, drama, writing, art, history, mathematics,

chess, tennis, golf and Odyssey of the Mind. The school has produced eight

National Merit Scholars.

School's Consciousness-Based Approach Develops Student's Whole Brain Physiology

"Our students' achievements year after year demonstrate the success of

consciousness-based education which develops the whole brain physiology of the

student," said Dr. Deans. "This innovative approach leads to the holistic

development of students who can excel in all fields."

To achieve this the Maharishi School features a curriculum adding twice daily

sessions of the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi program, including Yogic

Flying, to increase students' energy, coherence and alertness. Other innovations

at the school include the Maharishi Yoga Asanas program (Vedic stretching

exercises), Self-Pulse Reading, Vedic Mathematics, reading the ancient language

Sanskrit and offering vegetarian meals.

"Our success is based on a simple principle. In addition to offering traditional

subjects--science, math, history, etc.--we offer programs which teach our

students how to access and enliven their own inner intelligence--the full

potential of consciousness which is the basis of the learning process. Both

academic performance and extensive research have shown this approach fosters

students' creativity, IQ, and learning ability," Dr. Deans said.

New Standard for Education

"We feel this consciousness-based approach to education will become a world

standard in the coming months and years. Any school can achieve similar results

in a short period by adding these scientifically-proven programs to their

curriculum," Dr. Deans said.

A recent feature in the Times of London (September 5, 1998) reported that pupils

at the Maharishi School in Skelmersdale, England, have won The Times Educational

Supplement's Young Poet of Week Award more times than any other school in the

country. For the past four years, the school has been at the top of the

Lancashire league table on the national exams.

In Johannesburg, South Africa, an article posted by WOZA Internet

Ltd.(http://www.woza.co.za) reports on three schools in Alexandria where the

Transcendental Meditation program was introduced with "great success." The

report said that student pass rates increased by as much as 30 percent and

student violence decreased after only a few months of introducing the TM

program at the schools. More than 3,000 students in South African schools have

learned the TM program in the past two years.

Accredited by ISACS

The Maharishi School in Fairfield, Iowa is accredited by the Independent Schools

Association of the Central States (ISACS) and is a member of the National

Association of Independent Schools. The Lower School is also accredited by the

Iowa Department of Education. The School has an open enrollment policy and is

located on the campus of Maharishi University of Management. It serves

approximately 600 students (K-12th grade) with 76 teachers, 28 staff, and

numerous parent volunteers.

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