Welches Primary promotes healthier living through expanded wellness expo

Welches Primary School used its second annual Health and Wellness Expo to encourage students, parents and the wider community to rethink what it means to live well, placing equal emphasis on physical activity, emotional wellbeing and financial health.

Teacher and academy coordinator Jason Parris said the initiative had evolved beyond a traditional health fair.

“We are hosting our second year running our health fair. We started yesterday and moving today. Today is actually the fun aspect of it,” he said, noting that the two-day event included seminars, massages and information sessions led by health professionals.

Jason Parris teacher and academy coordinator. (Photo Credit: Lauryn Escamilla)

“We have some persons in here to give us some information about our general health. We have got the Ministry of Health here to give us some information on the school nutritional policy… so all in all we’ve had our health fair.”

Parris added that organisers were already looking ahead, with plans to broaden community involvement.

“Times have changed, so we have to change our strategy in which we are going to reach the community or reach the children as well.”

He revealed that the school’s Glow Walk, scheduled for November as part of Independence celebrations, would return with new attractions.

Lyfstyl Caribbean’s Shakira Douglin, said the expo had grown significantly since its launch.

Shakira Doughlin from Lyfstyl Caribbean. (Photo Credit: Lauryn Escamilla)

“The last year when they would have had the event, it was just in-house, just the school’s children. But this year, it has grown to now having other schools within the catchment area to visit and to participate.”

She explained that movement remained central to the initiative.

“Through the Ministry of Health and the [Physical Education] PE teachers here, we have been able to attract some consultants and personal trainers. We do have persons coming from different gyms across the island to execute like step aerobics.”

Partners also introduced “obstacle course, walking football, and a little bit of boot camp, just to give them some more controlled exercise strategies”, while health agencies provided guidance and products aimed at healthier lifestyles.

Physical education teacher Brian Armstrong said organisers deliberately broadened the conversation around wellness.

Physical education teacher Brian Armstrong. (Photo Credit: Lauryn Escamilla)

“We did have a physical component, but we wanted to make sure that they started thinking about maybe life after teaching as well.”

He noted that financial literacy sessions formed part of the programme. “We looked at financial management… credit scores… investing, putting down pensions and so on.”

Armstrong added that the school hoped to strengthen ties with businesses and community stakeholders: “We look at this school as a future school where we look to be innovative… where we look at the holistic development of the child.”

Principal Julia Broome said the expo responded to concerns about children’s activity levels following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Principal of Welches Primary School Julia Broome. (Photo Credit: Lauryn Escamilla)

“We found that coming out of COVID a lot of children aren’t moving and engaged in healthy activities,” she said.

“Our health and wellness is supposed to look at getting children not only to eat better and getting our families and our communities to eat better, but also to participate in moving.”

Broome said the initiative was designed to help participants understand “how our lifestyles affect our health and wellness emotionally, physically”, while exposing visiting schools and community members to the culture and values promoted at Welches Primary.

Following positive feedback from last year’s event, she said organisers expanded the expo to include community partners and neighbouring schools, ensuring the message of healthier living reached beyond the school gates.

Welches Primary School students jumping on and off of wooden blocks. (Photo Credit: Lauryn Escamilla)

Students playing football in a circle of cones. (Photo Credit: Lauryn Escamilla)

(LE)