College Heights students attend workshops, presentations to promote mental wellness
February 5, 2016
GUELPH, Ontario – Students at College Heights Secondary School dedicated Friday to their mental health and wellness.
The first day of the new semester featured musical performances, workshops and a student-teacher hockey game as staff and students took part in Wellness Day.
The day began with a bullying prevention presentation by country musician Ryan Laird. Laird hails from “Music City” Nashville, Tennessee, but he went to high school in nearby Fergus, Ontario.
For the last three years, Laird has been travelling the country, speaking to students at more than 320 schools. His message is about youth empowerment and how to rise above negativity in your life. “No child should have to worry about going to school because of a bully,” he said.
On Friday, Laird told College Heights students about his experience being bullied in high school after performing at the school’s talent show. Rather than let the negativity deflate him, he decided to take control of his own happiness and chase his dreams to become a musician.
At the assembly, Laird encouraged students to chase their own dreams by taking small steps to achieve goals, and not expecting things to be handed to them easily. One student, Natalie, said she wants to become a stage actor. Laird asked her to think of small things she can do to work toward her dream. He encouraged her to take drama classes, start posting small skits on YouTube, and team up with other people with similar goals.
Following Laird’s presentation, students took part in a variety of wellness workshops, including sessions on meditation, anxiety, LGBTQ identities, and the role of social media and mental health. There were also workshops for songwriting, Zumba, yoga, boxing, knitting, drumming and pottery.
At the end of the day students could attend a staff-student hockey game or coffee house. The halls on Friday were buzzing, as Wellness Day marked the beginning of not only the new semester but also a fresh outlook on health and well-being.
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For more information:
Heather Loney, Communications and Community Engagement Officer
519-822-4420 ext.725
[email protected]
Categories: News