School takes up health challenge
Staff and pupils at a Christchurch school are donning their running shoes in a bid to improve their mental health.
St Michael’s Church School will enter in The Press Summer Starter event on November 29.
Amanda Condon, who is in charge of marketing at the school, is a real believer in the All Right campaign, which is why she has decided the school should enter Summer Starter.
‘‘We’re a school of 60 and we can easily make this a whole school event.’’
Condon was recently named an All Right campaign champion. ‘‘They are doing things so important for Christchurch. We’ve all got such a long way to go.’’
Staff and students were first connected with the All Right campaign over a year ago.
The students reflected on how mental wellbeing had been affected by the Christchurch earthquakes.
Condon said research showed many children in the aftermath of the earthquakes were starting school ‘‘very unprepared’’. Parents did not have the luxury of spending time with their children.
In a move to address the health and well being of the whole school, students, teachers and parents found out on Monday that they were encouraged to enter the Summer Starter.
‘‘It will help encourage them what being active can do for you. It’s more than just being fit.’’
For students, the Summer Starter and their registration with the Tradestaff Workplace Challenge would provide them with a positive goal that they could work towards.
For Condon, the Summer Starter would help kickstart her own physical regime, which she had let slide over winter.
During the school summer break, she downloaded the NZ Army’s Force Fit app and worked her way up to running 5km, in and around strength training exercises like pull-ups. While she had set aside ‘‘selfish’’ time at the beginning for training, it soon became Mum-daughter time through joint cycling and running laps round the block.
Ahead of the event, and to engage students, Condon would launch her All Right Through the City event in term four. Drawing on the school’s key values of learning, aroha, connectedness and faith, students would have to choose a point in the city and create a 4km walking route to get there. The school had chosen the Clown Doctors as their chosen charity for November’s event.
To book your spot go to www.summerstarter.co.nz. Entries open on Saturday August 1.