Hoover Academy of Health & Healthier Communities

Overview: Students in the Academy of Health and Healthier Communities (AHHC) at Hoover High School are hosting a first-of-its-kind Cardinal ‘Self-Care’ Fair for fellow students to learn methods and strategies to address mental health concerns. The student-run event features interactive booths with hands-on demonstrations of various therapy methods and ways to deal with stress, like animal therapy, water therapy, and sensory therapy. 

Project Initiation: Based on data collected from Community Schools, we addressed one of the top issues surrounding Hoover High as reported from all stakeholders (staff, students, and parents), to empower the student and staff population at Hoover High School, by providing easy and low cost techniques that directly support stress reduction and improved mental health. Community partners will be contacted to help design the lessons for the Self Care Fair.

Project Exploration and Development: Students developed 10 minute demonstration booths on a specific low-cost stress reduction technique, which were presented at a school-wide Self Care Fair. They designed dynamic infographics on their stress reduction technique, as well as a separate infographic explaining the impact of stress on the brain and body. They contacted professionals in the community who could help give them insight and tips about their technique. Students designed a lesson plan for their 10 minute demonstration, which included an overview to the audience about stress itself, the technique, and an active demonstration where their audience conducted the stress reduction technique too.

Project Revision and Exhibition: In the fall, students received feedback on their booth infographics on the stress response, and their stress reduction technique and then received two rounds of feedback from 11th and 12th graders on the stress technique they intended to demonstrate in their booth on the day of the Self Care Fair using rubrics during each round of feedback for project refining. Lastly, students did a full demonstration for the class the day before the fair.

Teachers and Subjects: Val Woodfill - English; Jane Westfall - Biology

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