St. Patricks
What a week it's been at Team St. Patrick's! From the moment we stepped foot in the classroom, we were met with an infectious wave of enthusiasm from Sharilynn, Stacy, Cristina, and their dynamic team of 10 youth leaders. They were ready to dive in headfirst, and boy, did they bring the energy!
Throughout the afternoon, it became clear that these young leaders were eager to share the magic of PEPY with their peers. It's heartwarming to see the majority of kids stepping up to lead the charge, embracing the opportunity to spread positivity and engage with their fellow classmates.
Once again, the Pocket PEPY proved to be an invaluable tool, providing students with a tangible reminder of PEPY's core principles right at their fingertips. And their enthusiasm didn't stop there—they even suggested extending the PEPY movement to their families and yes, even the Oilers team! Who knew Conner McDavid could benefit from some bubble wrap popping and dot connecting? The students' conviction that PEPY could be the secret ingredient to a Stanley Cup victory is a testament to their belief in the program’s potential. Moreover, it illustrates the fun and engaging manner in which PEPY introduces important life skills.
Learning to Draw the Dots!
And let's talk about those hoodies. The students were absolutely thrilled at the prospect of sporting them proudly, eager to embody the spirit of PEPY and rock those nine dots with pride. Steven even threw in a challenge—they must memorize the dots to earn their hoodie, and they were more than up for it. Talk about dedication!
During our workshops last week, the significance of SNACKS became abundantly clear during our snowball brainstorming session. It seems like Team St. Patrick might have had some spies in attendance because we were pleasantly surprised with a mid-workshop mini buffet! A heartfelt thank you for providing us with the fuel we needed to keep the energy high.
Three Key Takeaways
During our time with these eager students, three key takeaways from the lego tower activity emerged:
One Brick at a Time: The students learned the importance of building wellness step by step, as they found constructing their mini towers brick by brick to be much more manageable than tackling the entire structure at once. This approach mirrored the PEPY model of focusing on one wellness aspect at a time, ensuring each dot is given due attention for a balanced life.
Strength in Unity: The activity reinforced the value of collaboration. As students worked together to balance their combined towers, they experienced first-hand how teamwork not only simplifies but also enhances the journey toward wellness. This resonated with the PEPY principle that wellness is not a solitary pursuit but one that is fortified through community support.
Dynamic Balance: The most challenging aspect of the lego activity was maintaining balance when combining the individual towers representing the spiritual, social, and physical dots. The exercise illustrated the ongoing effort required to keep the diverse aspects of wellness in harmony, echoing the PEPY ethos of a dynamically balanced life.
The Key Learning Observation centered around resilience. The spontaneous collapse of the towers wasn't seen as a setback but as an opportunity to rebuild, faster and stronger with the support of peers. This mirrored the resilience training PEPY instills, underscoring that life's path isn't always straight and that embracing grit and tenacity is essential in developing the resilience to face life's unpredictable challenges.
Stacy had mentioned beforehand that the students were itching for a Q&A session with Steven, and boy, did they deliver! We were blown away by their insightful questions, ranging from Steven's favorite teacher to the origins of PEPY. It's moments like these that remind us of the genuine curiosity and eagerness to learn within each and every student.
As we packed up, conversations with the teachers bubbled with anticipation for the March Wellness Day, a sentiment that underscored the pervasive excitement for PEPY's continued journey in the schools. And to the teachers of Team St. Patrick's—thank you for your boundless energy and enthusiasm. We can't wait to see what March Wellness Day has in store with such an incredible team leading the charge! Keep shining bright, ladies!