Wellness Program

On January 8, first through eighth graders took part in various hands-on activities that really "stuck" with them. As part of SAA's Wellness Program, the topic of "Bullying" was addressed through age-appropriate lessons. 

Third graders teamed up fora toothpaste lesson where boys took turns squeezing out a tube of toothpaste and then tried to put the toothpaste back in its tube. The analogy was to demonstrate that once they have said or done something, that action is out in the world, and it cannot be taken back, just like the toothpaste cannot be put back in the tube. 

The next lesson incorporated glitter to show the boys in third through eighth grades how their actions stay with them and affect their reputation. During the activity, boys lined up  in two rows and took turns pouring handful of glitter into the hands of the person next to him until that same handful of glitter made it to the end of each row. The experiment was a tangible reminder that, just like the glitter sticking to their hands, it takes time to repair a reputation, and ultimately, how people will remember them. 

To leave a lasting impression, the "sticky note" activity combined the efforts of boys in first through eighth grade. Each grade level was encouraged to think about and then write down how they wanted to be remembered. The messages were then posted to form a sticky note wall, "How do YOU want to be Remembered?" and then displayed outside the main office as a reminder for the boys to live up to those words. 

"The whole lesson was to get the boys really thinking about their actions and how they affect their reputation and the people around them," says Jenny Ligon, SAA's Wellness and Guidance Director.