Happy Valentine's Day from SkyWell!

February is American Heart Month

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Volunteering and Personal Wellness

Volunteering Helps you Stay Connected

I just read a tweet about the art of volunteering and its positive impact on personal wellness – both body and soul. It got me thinking.

Giving Back. Showing you care. Demonstrating community concern and taking action. Volunteering is one specific way to stay connected and improve the lives of people around you. And it’s important all year long.

Last month, our SkyWell representatives volunteered at the #SJJoinMe Luminary Walk. When I asked students if they would be interested in helping to set up, clean up and play flashlight tag during the Friday night event sponsored by St. Joe’s Mercy Health System, a dozen hands shot up instantly. Volunteering at its best - for the fun and joy of getting involved and giving back.  SkyWell reps also volunteer at Peace Neighborhood Center, the Ann Arbor Y, Project Healthy Schools and many other organizations in our community.

SkyWell in and of itself is a volunteer activity. As a Skyline High School club, members discuss ways to improve school wide wellness and plan events that they feel will make a difference. They do this after school and over the summer, donating their time and great ideas to impact our school culture of wellness. Our January Wellness Expo was held during school hours, but quite a bit of planning and preparation after hours went into making it a success. It’s the volunteers who make a difference every day. And we appreciate them very much!

Thank you SkyWell for another great Wellness Expo. We look forward to hearing about the survey responses, which will guide your efforts next year in helping to make Skyline High School the healthiest high school in Michigan.

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Please Join Us for the 2nd Annual SkyWell Wellness Expo!

The Expo is Coming to Skyline!

On Wednesday, January 27 during Skytime and first lunch, please attend the SkyWell Wellness Expo in the Skyline Commons. Many community organizations will be on site to provide valuable information about community resources. If you complete our wellness culture survey, you could win one of these great prizes:

• a free month at Liberty Athletics Club
• a new snowboard helmet
• a free nutrition consultation at EMU
• t-shirts, reusable water bottles, gift cards, toothbrushes, and more

See you at the Expo!

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Do Healthy School Lunches Mean Healthier Skyline Students?

Let's Give a Cheer for More Fruits and Veggies!!! Yay!

Alright … your mom has been telling you for years that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. She’s right. But what you eat during the school day is important, too. Calories, carbs, essential nutrients and protein all play an important role in how we fuel our bodies for optimal performance and brain function.

Despite federal regulations to improve school lunch food choices, and a big focus on school gardens and farm to school initiatives that bring local fresh produce to schools every day, did you know that only 12% of Washtenaw County youth eat five or more servings of fruit and vegetables each day? 

5 servings =

1 banana (1 serving) + ½ cup raw carrots (1 serving) +

1 small apple (1 serving) + a large leafy salad (2 servings)

Or an orange, steamed broccoli, fruit smoothie, crunchy cauliflower … you get the picture!

So take a look around the Skyline cafeteria today. What choice will you make to increase your consumption of fruits and vegetables? If you have suggestions, come to a SkyWell Club meeting and share your opinions. We would love to hear them and work together with our cafeteria to take action!

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A Lifetime of Wellness

The Sustainable Cycle of Self Care

An interesting book showed up on my dining table last weekend: NO SWEAT – How the Simple Science of Motivation Can Bring You a Lifetime of Fitness, by Michelle Segar, PhD. Not only is Dr. Segar a renowned expert in kinesiology, movement science and motivation, but she is also, coincidentally, from my hometown of Flint, Michigan. We grew up on the same street. We have one degree of separation, her childhood friend and my brother, Peter.

Dr. Segar presents an interesting and compelling position on why most Americans fail at achieving one important wellness goal – the ongoing pursuit of a lifetime of physical activity. “When you want to stick with something for life,” she says, “you must change your perspective.” She encourages us to shift from a short term view (losing 10 pounds, running a race, hiking to the summit) to a long term goal of a lifetime of fitness. 

This perspective will help individuals create a sustainable cycle of self-care by moving the bar higher, making every physical activity we do a step toward a lifetime goal.

“If the horizon is the rest of your life,” how do you stay motivated? At our monthly SkyWell Club meetings, we discuss the physical dimension of wellness. Staying motivated includes having fun and being with friends, a social component of physical activity that includes both team sports and individual pursuits. 

That’s why SkyWell is planning activities for all students, including events during the winter months like tournaments and an all-school field day. The cycle of self-care includes many things to promote wellness and well-being.

Wellness is a life skill, and remember this: It’s not the event, it’s the journey.

Thank you SkyWell for making the discussion come alive for everyone.

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Happy Thanksgiving from SkyWell

Thanks for Health, Happiness and Family

Resilience. Purpose. Wellness. Well-being. When your family gathers this Thanksgiving, it may be an opportunity for you to demonstrate your commitment to wellness, and also listen to and learn from others in your family about the health issues and conditions that concern them the most.

Family history is important to health. So are the everyday attitudes and behaviors we engage in – it all has an important impact on personal health risks and optimal health and wellness.

Let’s join in with some of the important campaigns going on locally and around the country.

Peer to Peer Depression Awareness – Holidays are common times for increased stress, anxiety and depression. Join our school campaign to listen and support those around you. "Depression: A Fight No One Can Handle Alone!" Join the #IWillListen campaign because those who need to talk will know you are there to listen.

#OptOutside – Join REI’s campaign to get out and enjoy the outdoors during the holidays.

#SJJoinMe – Support SkyWell’s mission and join St. Joseph Mercy Health’s campaign to promote personal wellness and its impact on our community health culture.

National Family History Day – Use the U.S. Surgeon General’s program designating Thanksgiving as a day to learn about your family health risks. It’s an opportunity to get important information you need for the future.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Give thanks for health, happiness and family!

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Thank You to SkyWell Guest Speaker Charlie Estey

SkyWell  Hears Inspiration from Interactive Health’s  EVP Charlie Estey

On November 10^th, the SkyWell student board of directors was joined by Charlie Estey, an industry leader in worksite wellness and president-elect of the International Association of Worksite Health Promotion. His inspirational words helped us to better understand how “engagement” is one key to program success and will help us to build a culture of wellness at Skyline.

“Making wellness fun” was one of his key messages as he shared examples of how to develop and package our wellness messages in ways that students will accept – and want to participate in. He suggested that SkyWell join forces with Student Action Senate, DECA and other student clubs to work together on promotional programs and activities to get more students on board and broaden the reach of our awareness building strategies. Mr. Estey also emphasized the need for both top-down and bottom-up support, aligning SkyWell with the needs and goals of Skyline as an organization.

“I haven’t seen a program of this scale at the high school level and it’s great to be a part of it,” said Charlie. “Supporting SkyWell as they determine what a culture of wellness can mean is an inspiration to us all. We are building future wellness leaders and advocates for decades to come.”

Thank You from SkyWell !

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