Part of UMYH's wrap-around care is striving to foster healthy choices in our youth. For the annual Every Kid Healthy Week {Sponsored by Action for Healthy Kids (AFHK)} April 20-24 our Health & Wellness Coordinator, Deshay, came up with special activities to help instill more healthy habits into the youth’s everyday lives. The youth and the staff did multiple groups that engaged their mental, social, physical, and nutritional health throughout the week.
Mindful Monday: Youth were guided through a quiet moment, learning to give yourself the space to be still. Then walking away feeling calm and clear minded.
Tasty Tuesday: Everyone tried new foods like dragon fruit, chocolate hummus, pickled okra, or pimento cheese. Did they love or even try every single one of these things? No, definitely not. Not everything was a hit (they are teenagers, after all), but there were plenty of laughs and a few brave taste testers along the way.
Wellness Wednesday: Things got a little competitive with a staff versus youth volleyball game. After plenty of healthy teasing and smack talk the youth in day education did narrowly come out with a win. In Residential they mixed it up and played boys versus girls. The girls managed to pull out the win despite the loud bravado from the boys.
Thoughtful Thursday: We dug into our social and mental wellness on Thoughtful Thursday by appreciating our support circles. They went around and voted on awards like easiest to talk to, funniest, strongest, and even who is the duct tape that holds this office together. It truly showed how much all of our staff work together to help the youth!
The staff faced another loss on Fitness Friday in the youth versus staff relay race. Although some might say staff was sabotaged by one of our own, the youth did still win fair and square. Watching them cheer each other on and work together in each challenge was truly incredible to see.