Waterford students get the benefit of health week

Students in one Waterford secondary school benefited greatly from a mental health awareness week.

The initiative took place in Waterpark College, with the students and staff all participating.

A spokesperson for the school commented on the initiative to waterford-news.ie and Waterford News & Star, saying: "On Monday morning a group of Transition Year volunteers, with the help of our guidance counselor, Ms. McNeill, prepared the for the busy week ahead, by setting up a timetable of all the activities in the coming week. These included contests, games and talks from guest speakers."

The official week of activities began the following morning when the TY volunteers set up a ‘positive abbreviations board’, which enabled the entire school population to write up their own positive messages. 

"The TY’s also printed out mandala mindful colouring sheets and gave them to every class," said the spokesperson.

"At both break and lunch every day, they also hosted the ‘hang tough’ challenge," she added.

The challenge was open to the whole school and the aim was to hold on to a pull up bar for a long as possible. 

"This was a fun activity that a lot of students partook in," said the spokesperson. There was also a prize for the winner.

On the Wednesday, all of the First Year students got a visitor in to talk to them about internet safety and the talks were given to all four First Year classes individually. 

"During the breaks the hang tough challenge continued," said the spokesperson.

"On Thursday, a breakfast morning took place for Sixth Year students to give them a break from their leaving cert preparation," she added.

"They were given blaas, sausages, hashbrowns and tea or coffee. Later on that day the Third Year got their own break from studying and were treated to blaas, sausages, hot chocolate and chats.

"Straight after the hot chocolates, First Years were called to the GP because we got in three performers from Circus Gerbola," said the spokesperson.

"The First Years loved their act and some even volunteered to be in it," she added. Some of the teachers also got involved.

For the last two classes of that day one of the TY students created a general knowledge quiz and a few others volunteered to correct the submitted answers. 

"Every other TY took the quiz and both first place and the runner-up got prizes," the spokesperson said.

"Lots of people found it very fun and overall had a good time."

The last day of the Mental Health Awareness Week saw all of the Second Year students receive talks from guest speakers about internet safety. 

Meanwhile, the Fifth and Sixth Year students also got two guest speakers in and all of the students engaged positively with them.

"Everyone that was involved in this wonderful week had a great time helping and participating," said the spokesperson.

"If given the chance to do this week all again, everyone would gladly partake."