KEEPING WELL

STUDENTS at Townsville Grammar School have been engaging in weekly wellbeing and physical challenges as a way of keeping connected and having some fun.

Some of the challenges have included a focus on mindfulness, where students were encouraged to try yoga, the Great TGS Push-up Challenge, where students filmed themselves doing 10 pushups for house points, and other activities including lip-synching, cooking, stand-up comedy and photo competitions focusing on kindness, humour and hope.

Acting deputy principal and head of school Connor Barrett said the students were very quick to jump on board and get involved in these challenges.

“We’ve been setting these challenges to encourage our students who are learning at home, and those who are at school, to keep well and healthy during this time, and to have some fun in the process,” said Mr Barrett.

“Like all schools, we’ve been looking for ways to keep our community connected and for creative ways of still holding some of our events, in a digital format.

“In Week 3 we ran the online Cross Country challenge, in lieu of our usual Interhouse Cross Country Carnival.”

The students used the strava app and other means of recording their runs and their efforts resulted in house points.

Mr Barrett said they were also filming weekly assemblies with a fun approach.

“We are also trying to run as many of our cocurricular clubs as possible online, such as art, cooking, running, chess, dance, music and design,” he said.

“These past weeks have certainly highlighted how much our students have missed coming to school and engaging in the full school experience.

“We can’t wait until everyone is back across our three campuses.”