Red Ribbon Week Spotlights Activities Around Mental Health, Well-Being and Healthy Choices

St. Margaret’s Upper School and Middle School students engaged in a week of activities centered around mental health, well-being and a healthy-choices lifestyle as part of Red Ribbon Week.  

 

Red Ribbon Week is a nationwide initiative to raise awareness about the importance of a healthy, substance-free lifestyle. St. Margaret’s has expanded on the week’s focus in recent years to add a mental health component.

 

The week started with faculty speakers and featured video in the Darcy Rice Center for the Arts. The activities that followed during the week included student homily at chapel with student speaker, Upper School senior Kate Purpura, in addition to a therapy dog visit, wellness activities and acai bowls during community time.

The Upper School students gathered at the Darcy Rice Performing Arts Center to hear from guest speakers, Upper School teachers Alexandra Jennings, Linda He and Edmund Herlihy.

In addition, students enjoyed a video entitled “The Science of Joy” illustrating how “natural highs” work, and positive activities that release neurotransmitters like dopamine and endorphins in healthy ways. The video featured celebrity influencers highlighting tools students could use to thrive, in addition to fostering a dialogue based on understanding, critical thinking, and compassion. In addition, all advisors in the Upper School engaged in random acts of kindness throughout the week.

“This year, we wanted to focus on empowering students to make healthy choices, not only for themselves, but also for their community. When we embrace both self-care and community-care, it boosts everyone’s happiness and well-being,” said Director of Counseling, Dr. Kia-Keating.

Later in the week during community time, students had an opportunity to prepare their own acai bowls to experience other types of healthy foods. The students also took part in many activities that benefit mental and physical health, such as clay, affirmation bracelets, and athletic recovery tools like leg compression. In addition, a special guest therapy dog, George, stopped by to visit with the students.

 

The Middle School also had events for Red Ribbon Week. This year’s events included a self-care fair where students selected a session hosted by teachers. The sessions varied from walk-abouts in the community to jewelry making. The purpose was to illustrate how students can practice healthy choices by engaging in activities that promote wellness. Moreover, the focus was to give students activities they can do, rather than focusing on unhealthy practices that they shouldn't do. Prior to the start of this week St. Margaret’s All-School Counselor Derek McIntire shared the purpose of Red Ribbon Week and the importance of healthy choices such as abstaining from substances during a Chapel Message.
 

Peer counselors took a leadership role in organizing Red Ribbon Week. The activities were led by the St. Margaret’s Counseling Office, including all-school counselors Dr. Maryam Kia-Keating, Derek McIntire and Victoria Anaele.