Wellness week at Oakdale is spent entirely to educate its students on their wellness and how to improve their overall well-being. The week was planned by Oakdale’s SGA. Senior and Student Government member, Emma Melton, describes it as “spreading awareness for living a healthy life in multiple aspects of an individual’s day.” 

The event is put on entirely by the Student Government Association, SGA, and is funded and run by its student members. The SGA is made up of about seventy to eighty students who meet every other week to set up events like Wellness Week and organize school events such as Homecoming, spring carnival, and various themed weeks. The goal is to educate the community and make them aware of the different topics presented among teenagers. All of these events are orchestrated and planned carefully. 

Wellness Week has been an annual event for the past 3 years at Oakdale and is expected to recur in the following years.

Sophomore and fellow SGA member, Gwen Weeks, described Wellness Week as “a week where we acknowledge the mental and physical wellness of students and staff. Each day focuses and brings awareness to different situations one might find themselves in and how they can combat it.” Wellness Week can be very beneficial to both students and teachers and helps create a safer and better environment for the community. 

Each day of the school week, Monday to Friday, had its own theme relating back to creating a healthy lifestyle for students. Monday’s theme consisted of sleep and time management, something that Melton claims is “crucial to the busy lives of high school students”. On Monday students were encouraged to wear pajamas. 

Tuesday’s topic focused on stress management and ways it can be relieved. Students did this by making friendship bracelets at school during lunch and reading a trifold including many ways teenagers can manage and decrease stress. 

Wednesday educated students on nutrition and healthy eating habits. The SGA provided recipe cards for quick and efficient meals that were healthy alternatives to snack foods and could be prepared in little time.

Thursday consisted of mental health awareness and raising important questions to reflect on taking care of one’s mental well-being. On Thursday, the SGA students left friendly notes around the school to encourage students and make them feel included and important. 

Lastly, Friday was used as a day to educate peers on exercise and its importance to living a healthy lifestyle. Friday’s theme was to dress in athletic gear. Around the school posters and trifolds were posted to share information on the benefits working out and joining a sport can be to one’s life. 

Each year Wellness Week focuses on topics that are not often covered in the community and are very relevant in a teenager’s life. The various themed days provided important information that can help in one’s everyday life. By participating in Wellness Week, SGA is spreading positive and vital information throughout the school and over creating a healthier and happier environment.