In the last week of September, the school’s mental health club, Minds Aligned, organised a week-long event hoping to strengthen the sense of community at CDNIS. The “Minds Aligned Event Week” featured a variety of enjoyable activities from fun and active to relaxing options for both students and teachers to engage in.
The week began with Friendship Appreciation Day to promote the importance of friendships. Through the form of art, participants had the opportunity to design shirts for themselves or their friends. This activity not only provided students with an outlet to relieve any stressors but also facilitated practices of mindfulness. Crafting activities are a proven method of enhancing self-awareness and the ability to be fully present. All designed shirts were tagged and distributed to their respective recipients after the event.
The Wednesday Wellness Fair was a space for Global Goals Clubs — better known as GGCs amongst the student body — and general interest clubs to raise awareness about mental health through means that align with their unique visions. Clubs including SAGE, World Health, and the Jewelry-Making Club had booths set up at the fair. The clubs included interactive activities such as folding origami cranes, a blind-tasting challenge, making DIY angel keychains, and more. With the wide range of activities hosted at the fair, Minds Aligned wanted to demonstrate how everyone resonates with the significance of taking care of our mental health.
Thursday’s Student versus Teacher Relay event incorporated physical activity, an essential aspect of managing mental health. Through a series of competitions such as tug of war, sack racing, and a three-legged race, students had the opportunity to compete against their teachers. By participating in activities that require cooperation, individuals were encouraged to work with groups of peers they may not usually interact with, building a stronger connection between students of different grades. This event contributed to a healthier and more engaging environment in the Upper School.
Finishing the week strong, a movie screening was held during Friday’s lunch hour. Open to all Upper School students, participants who joined were given the opportunity to relax, meet new people and end their week on a joyful note. Hosted in the drama room, the dark ambience and open spaces for people to lie down further encouraged people to destress. The movie screened was “Inside Out”, and while the movie may have been intended to target younger age groups, the film effectively highlighted the impacts of mental health, and emphasised the importance of articulating emotions for people of all ages. The screening successfully prompted discussion about understanding and recognising emotions, creating a safe space for students to share their thoughts and beliefs. Of course, the movie was equally helpful in providing the older students with a chance to wind down amidst an overwhelming time of university applications and other important summative assessments!
By actively planning, hosting, and engaging in these initiatives, the Minds Aligned team hopes to contribute to a holistically supportive environment here at CDNIS. We hope students had fun participating in the events and let’s all continue to spread positivity at school together!
