The Colton High School Wellness Club will host the school’s first Wellness Fair this March as part of an ongoing effort to promote the mental and physical well-being of the community’s youth. This is the first event of its kind in the Colton Joint Unified School District. Wellness Club members and advisers hope to eventually make the fair an annual district and possibly countywide event.
The fair, which takes place on Wed., March 11, 2020, will address a wide array of health topics and will include expert speakers, workshops, and a resource and health fair. A student conference takes place from 7:25 AM- 2:25 PM. The adult/community portion of the event will be held 2:25-5:30 PM. Area organizations that are able to lend their expertise to help with this event are encouraged to register now by contacting Mr. Jorge Alvarez at Colton High School at Jorge_Alvarez@cjusd.net.
The day will begin with a “Sprinkle of Happiness” during which parents, peers, and members of the community will shower students with positive energy through inspirational signs and words of affirmation as they enter school.
The event will continue during both lunches with a Resource and Health Fair put on by the school’s Health Education and Leadership (H.E.A.L.) medical pathway students as well as community vendors and institutions.
The afternoon program will feature keynote speakers. They include:
- Elementary Counselor Denise Cervera, who will engage attendees in mindfulness exercises.
- CJUSD Behavioral and Mental Health Manager Antonio Castro, who will present on “Emotions and the Teen Brain.”
A Mental Health Expo including city and county resources will take place in the late/afternoon evening. CJUSD Family Engagement Program Manager Alejandra De La Torre will also lead bilingual workshops in the evening geared toward equipping students with tools they can use to address mental health issues at home.
The idea for the Wellness Fair was born last summer at the Aspen Ideas Festival. Colton High School Senior Ernest Cisneros and Assistant Principal Jorge Alvarez, both selected to participate in the Bezos Scholars Program, were challenged to create a community impact project. Both knew that student health, and in particular, mental health, should be the focus of their project.
The pair also led the school’s first TEDx event at Colton High last year, which also had a mental health focus.
“There are a lot of students experiencing trauma at home and it makes it very difficult for them to concentrate at school and do well,” Cisneros said.
Mr. Alvarez was moved to help students struggling with mental health issues after hearing about suicide deaths among teens in our region last year.
“I don’t want to ever think that I could have done something to prevent a similar situation and not have done anything about it,” he said.
The Wellness Fair is just part of a school-wide effort to help students take charge of their own well-being. The Wellness Club also was instrumental in getting a Wellness Center on campus. The center, developed in collaboration with the CJUSD Mental Health Department, opened last month. It provides a space for students to find peace, quiet and support, especially during stressful times.
“I am so proud of our CHS students who saw an issue in their community that needed to be addressed, spoke out about that issue in a thoughtful and meaningful manner, then worked with their school administrators and district mental health professionals to take positive action toward a solution,” noted CJUSD Superintendent Dr. Frank Miranda. “I am inspired by the hard work, dedication, and perseverance of the CHS Wellness Club members. They are making a positive change in our community that will impact generations to come.”
The Wellness Fair is supported by Colton High School Principal Joda Murphy, Wellness Club Co-Advisors Elizabeth Fregoso and Terry Garcia, HEAL medical pathway lead teacher Stacey Baker, Superintendent Dr. Frank Miranda, San Bernardino County Assistant Superintendent Stephanie Houston, and the Bezos Foundation.
Colton High School Wellness Club officers include: President Rosemary Linares, Vice President Raelene Ramirez, Treasurer Brenda Garcia and Student Advisers Ernest Mateo Cisneros and Yvonne Pacheco.
Keep up with the news about the Wellness Fair on Twitter and Facebook: @chswellnessclub or #ColtonWellnessFair or by visiting the event website: tinyurl.com/chswellnessfair