Program Spotlight: Move Through Yoga
June 25, 2026
A Mill Levy Community Initiative bringing movement, connection, and emotional well-being to Denver students with I/DD through adaptive yoga.
More than 650 students from across the Front Range, representing a wide range of abilities, came together last fall for Move Through Yoga’s 2025 Yoga Wave. In a shared space filled with movement, connection, and joy, students released stress, built confidence, and experienced the power of being part of something bigger than themselves.
Events like the Yoga Wave offer a glimpse into what Move Through Yoga (MTY) makes possible every day: expanding access to adaptive yoga for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) while equipping educators, caregivers, and families with tools that extend far beyond the classroom.
Move Through Yoga is one of several Denver Mill Levy Community Initiatives funded through the Denver Mill Levy Program, a program of Rocky Mountain Human Services (RMHS). The Denver Mill Levy Program partners with organizations across the City and County of Denver to expand access to meaningful, inclusive opportunities for people with I/DD. Through its Community Initiatives program, Mill Levy funding supports innovative approaches that meet real needs, often in ways traditional systems cannot.
We recently spoke with Move Through Yoga’s founder and executive director, Stefanie Gross, about how the program began, what makes it unique, and the impact it’s having on students, educators, and families across Denver.
Move Through Yoga’s Origins: From a Single Classroom to a Denver Metro Area Program
Move Through Yoga didn’t begin as a formal program; it started in an AP English classroom in Florida where Stefanie was teaching. Realizing how much stress she and her students were experiencing, she started to bring yoga into the classroom as a tool to de-stress.
“What I started to see was that stress shows up for everyone,” she said. “It doesn’t matter your background, your academic level, or your abilities. It’s something we all experience.”
What began as one way to support a small group of students in AP English quickly expanded. Stefanie saw that the benefits of yoga—regulation, awareness, and connection—were just as important for students in special education, as well as for educators themselves.
She officially launched Move Through Yoga in 2014 as a non-profit to support students with I/DD. After relocating to Colorado, the organization began partnering with schools—starting in Jefferson County—and has since expanded into multiple districts, including Denver Public Schools (DPS).
Move Through Yoga’s Adaptive Approach
While many people are familiar with yoga as a studio-based practice, Move Through Yoga takes a different approach.
“Move Through Yoga is about helping students build awareness of their bodies, their emotions, and their experiences,” Stefanie explained.
Classes are designed specifically for students with I/DD, with a strong emphasis on accessibility and inclusion. Rather than modifying poses in a way that might feel limiting, Move Through Yoga focuses on accommodating each individual to ensure poses feel empowering and right.
“Accommodation is about creating access,” Stefanie said. “Every student can participate in the way that works best for them.”
That might mean a student participates from a wheelchair, uses visual supports to follow along, or engages in sensory-friendly ways. The goal is not uniformity, but connection and awareness of one’s own body.
Students are encouraged to notice how they feel:
- Do you feel warmth in your body?
- Can you notice your breath?
- What emotions are coming up?
These moments of body awareness are foundational skills that support emotional regulation, communication, and overall well-being.
Expanding Its Reach in Denver Public Schools (DPS)
When Move Through Yoga first partnered with RMHS’ Denver Mill Levy Program, it brought its programming into 30 Denver Public Schools, reaching students with I/DD across a wide range of ages from kindergarten to adult education. Each school’s initial rollout included four Move Through Yoga sessions, each lasting 50 minutes. Even within that relatively short timeframe, the impact was clear.
The program also fostered connection between students with and without disabilities, particularly in unified classroom settings.
Building on that success, the program is now expanding. With continued Mill Levy support, Move Through Yoga will increase from four sessions to ten sessions per school in the 2026-27 school year, allowing for deeper engagement and measurable outcomes over time.
“Moving to ten sessions per school gives us the opportunity to track real growth,” Stefanie explained. “Things like confidence, body awareness, and emotional regulation.”
Building Lasting Impact Through Training
One of the most exciting aspects of Move Through Yoga’s current expansion is its focus on sustainability.
“In the past, we would come into a classroom for a set period of time, and then we’d leave,” Stefanie said. “Teachers might want to continue the practices, but they didn’t always feel equipped to do so.”
Now, with Mill Levy support, Move Through Yoga supports a scholarship cohort of 10 caregivers and 10 educators and professionals who can participate in a 65-hour adaptive yoga training that will bring together school staff, caregivers, and students to learn adaptive yoga techniques and co-regulation strategies.
Participants will learn how to integrate simple, effective strategies into daily routines, helping students regulate emotions, build focus, and feel more connected.
Importantly, the training includes opportunities for students with I/DD to participate alongside adults.
“We’re not just delivering a program, we’re also building capacity,” Stefanie said. “We want this to live on in classrooms and homes long after we’re gone.”
How Mill Levy Funding Makes a Difference
For Move Through Yoga, Mill Levy funding has been transformative.
“Honestly, there’s no other way we could do this at this scale,” Stefanie said. “It’s made what felt impossible, possible.”
Like many nonprofits, Move Through Yoga has historically relied on a patchwork of grants and donations. That kind of funding can be unpredictable and limiting, especially for programs trying to create sustained, systemic impact.
“Mill Levy support allows us to focus on the work,” Stefanie explained. “It gives us the stability to grow, to reach more students, and to think long-term.”
It has also allowed the organization to invest in its staff and infrastructure, which helps to ensure that the people delivering these services are supported as well.
As Move Through Yoga continues to expand in Denver and beyond, the demand for its services is only growing. School districts across Colorado—including Aurora, Pueblo, and Fort Collins—have expressed interest in bringing the program to their communities.
At its core, the mission remains the same: to create spaces where students with I/DD feel seen, supported, and empowered.
Get Involved
Move Through Yoga is actively seeking individuals who are interested in supporting this work.
The organization offers adaptive yoga training for those who want to become instructors and work directly with students with I/DD. Upcoming trainings provide a pathway to paid opportunities within the program.
Visit Move Through Yoga’s website to learn more about its training opportunities or how to get involved.
About the Denver Mill Levy Program
The Denver Mill Levy Program supports individuals with I/DD and their families who live in the City and County of Denver by connecting them with services, resources, and opportunities tailored to their needs. Through direct support and community partnerships, such as the one with Move Through Yoga, the program helps individuals build independence, connection, and quality of life.
If you work for or know of a community organization that supports Denver residents with I/DD, encourage them to learn about and possibly apply for Community Initiative funding through Mill Levy. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis throughout the year.
