All Round Training in Excellence is a course for children devised by Sri Sri Ravishankar and is conducted by his Art of Living Foundation. It aims to counteract negative tendencies and introduces a balancing effect on children.

One of the motivating factors in the origination of the Art Excel camp is that the formal education of young minds in India has become a fiercely competitive, almost destructive examination. Under the pressures of making good grades, creativity and originality of the youth tend to get destroyed. Yet these qualities are critical to nurture problem-solving skills needed in today's globally linked work place. With excessive focus on achieving results, children often become tense and irritable, affecting their memory and concentration at studies, and sometimes leading to stress at home.

Education should be an enjoyable experience, not a stressful one. " The purpose of education is to nurture awareness", says Sri Sri Ravishankar, the spiritual master, who is hailed all over the world as a leader in human resource development and known for his innovative thinking.

The Art Excel trailing camps usually run over a span of four to five days. It provides all round training in physical, mental, emotional and spiritual levels, intended to enhance and facilitate the young mind's education. Using special breathing techniques and tools, students learn to attain calmness of mind, which then leads to improved memory and concentration at school work. Human values such as cooperation, sharing, service to others, respect for self and others and compassion naturally arise from within.

THE CURRICULUM
The curriculum has three different aspects, although the accruing benefits often become intertwined at some level:
• Physical: stretching, yoga, pranayama.
• Mental and Spiritual: specific breathing exercises (kriya), relaxation techniques, meditation.
• Social: problem solving strategies, development of social skills, leadership training, group dynamics, creative projects like art, drama, literature, song, dance and service projects like helping elderly people, planting trees and cleaning the environment.

A 20 to 25 hours workshop usually spread over four to six days, covering every aspect of a child's development:

• Parenting the Angels: 5 - 8 years.
• Kids Special: 9 - 12 years.
• Teens Paradise: 13 - 16 years.
• Young Adults: 17 - 20 years.

The program participants are enthusiastic and satisfied. They say: " The experience was amazing…you can understand things from a different point of view." Some appreciate the relaxed and simple way of learning significant aspects of life: "It was fun and energizing!"