Holton’s own Health Department hosted a successful and well
attended “Holton-Arms You with Health” Week February 16 – 20. Despite the cold
weather, and one day of school cancelled due to snow, the events of the week
were well attended.
Wednesday through Friday, the Middle School Community
Service club collected food and compostable waste from each division where the
waste was collected in special trash cans, per division, then weighed at the
end of each day. (This activity coincided with the “Slow, Go, Whoa” food choice
activity where all the food and drink choices were marked with either Green
(for eat/drink anytime), Yellow (caution, eat only some each meal), and Red
(eat only very occasionally) to highlight the importance of eating balanced
nutritionally in portion and quality with each plate. Thank you to the dining
room staff, Thomas Toliver and Jay Keller for collaborating with PE and Health
Department member Cami Roth, and Athletic Trainer, Health Educator, PE educator
and Health Department member Maureen Siburt to put this program together for
the whole week.
An informational and interactive, all grade parent coffee
was held Wednesday morning. Dr. Rachel Singer, Ph.D. with the Center for
Anxiety and Behavioral Change spoke on “Parenting the Anxious Child:
Counterintuitive Strategies to Easing Anxiety” with parents from various grades
shared experiences and helpful information regarding the anxiety many students
experience. Thank you to Middle School Counselor, Health Educator, and Health
Department member Kristen Edma for putting this fantastic talk together.
The INOVA Blood Mobile was on campus on Thursday. Thirty
three brave volunteers stepped forward to donate whole blood collecting 26 full
units that will benefit local hospitals. A big thank you to the following
students who volunteered at the sign in table during the drive: Niki Abdala
Arata, Ellie Yeo, Sheyda Tribble, Clara Ferrari.
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| Lower Schoolers participate in the Jump Rope for Heart event. |
On Friday, February 20 the entire school participated in the
health fair - the culminating event for the week! The Lower School participated
in a rotation of events in the morning and then Jump Rope for Heart in the
afternoon. This program would not have been successful without the classroom
teachers to help move the students from station to station, the amazing parent
volunteers who helped with teams of students and baked goodies for the
afternoon. Some of the parent volunteers who helped make the day were: Elizabeth
Brody, Marisa Solis-Rosenblum, Sophia Siddiqui, Dorine Risser, Kirsten Wilson, Maria
Karsner, Emily Hatwick, Patricia Klick, Emiy Currie, and Vicky Magid. The Lower
School’s program included the following vendors who donated their time to our
students: students from American
University, Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services, Montgomery County
Police Department, Girls on the Run, Dr. Preeta Chidambaran, M.D., Dr. Shannon
Pryor, M.D., and Mr. Khaldoun
Al-Atrash of Flying Kick Fitness. The girls also participated in Yoga through
the Mindfulness Center, and Zumba through our own Wellness Program instructor.
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Students engage in stress busting activities
in the Simms Reception Room. |
While the Lower School
was having a
terrifically healthy day, over 135 students, alongside faculty and
staff, were participating in a
health fair designed especially for their busy days. During breaks, study
halls, and free periods, the Simms Reception room was the focus of a day of
vendors and interactive activities including Adele Bonnie offering a mindfulness
and stress busting activity, Minzin Yoga and Tibetan Singing Bowls with Fredi
Prevost, Kazemi Oral Surgery & Dental Implants, a nutritionist with Meriweather
Godsey, Dr. Louise Moody, M.D. of Secure Medical Care discussing mosquito borne
illnesses, the Center for Anxiety and Behavioral Change and stress busting
activities, signing up for the Panther Scamper, information on Bone Marrow
Registry and students over 18 years old and faculty were able to register, and
finally faculty were able to have body fat analysis by American University
Health Promotion graduate students.
