Holy Cross students came together to form a Health and Wellness board two years ago to promote the wellbeing of students. The health of students is important to LOTAs and the board is constantly coming up with activities and events to promote awareness of both mental and physical illnesses.
The Health and Wellness board consists of 19 members and is led by both Director of Counseling Julie Ritter and Physical Education teacher Cheryl King. Some events/activities have been Tartan Time yoga, a turkey trot, lectures from mental health speakers, therapy animals, a presentation on the disease known as POTS and much more to come.
“One of my favorite activities this year was the Turkey Trot,” senior Jessie Olcott shared. “It was so cool because [senior] Anna [Larkin] and I had a funny idea and immediately began to organize it, and it turned out to be so fun.”
The Turkey Trot was a Thanksgiving themed run where students ran around the school. They were rewarded with apple cider and donuts at the finish line. Activities like this encourage students to get involved in events that keep their body moving, which helps with their mental and physical health. The Health and Wellness Board also has made a newsletter which gives tips for managing stress and has educated the students on important topics of awareness.
“Positive self-talk and healthy coping skills such as exercise, deep breathing, and journaling go a long way too,” explained Ritter.
Last year the Health and Wellness board was excited to be able to have therapy animals come to Holy Cross for the students to pet and play with, and they are thrilled to announce that they will be offering it again this year.
“Without a doubt my favorite activity is when we bring in the organization ‘Pets on Wheels.’ This is the day when the Health and Wellness Board offers a small presentation where they talk about how pets can decrease anxiety and stress, reduce feelings of fear and worry, and increase feelings of social support,” Ritter stated. “The whole school then gets to experience the benefits of having dogs in the courtyard or bunnies in the auditorium.”
Holy Cross is committed to LOTAs character development and academic excellence, but more importantly understands the critical role that holistic health and wellbeing play in students’ lives. The creation of the Health and Wellness board embodies this commitment.
“It’s just one way that allows Holy Cross students to lead and that is just so important in an all-girls school,” Ritter explained.