Jerry was first introduced to meditation by a Jesuit priest in 1984, when he was a high school teacher of Religious Studies at Claver College in Punta Gorda. A few years later, as part of his major in Psychology at Minnesota State University (1986-88), he took courses in Eastern Psychology. He also participated in a number of Vipassana Meditation courses at retreat centers abroad. These courses involve at least ten hours of meditation per day for ten days. In recent years, Jerry has been a strong advocate for Mindfulness to be taught and practiced in schools and workplaces in Belize. He has conducted introduction to meditation workshops for the staff of schools and organizations all over Belize, as well as for the general public through Om Shanti Belize. Recently he was appointed by the Minister of Education to voluntarily serve on a newly formed Mindfulness in Schools Task Force.  As a result, the first group of 30 teachers and counselors from schools all over Belize has begun training to become internationally certified as Mindfulness educators at their schools. Jerry is also a founding board member of Rhythm of Change Belize (ROC). He will guide an early morning meditation at the festival.