In concert with World Mental Health Day, John Muir Middle School held MUIR EMPOWERED, an all-day health and wellness conference for students and staff on Thursday, October 10.
Mindfulness, ways to deal with stress and anxiety, yoga, nutrition, vaping awareness and suicide prevention were all discussed. Parents were able to attend sessions as well, and the school held a resource fair for students, parents and staff.
“MUIR EMPOWERED focused students on their mental and physical health,” explained Principal Greg Miller. “The day was designed to provide students with strategies to improve themselves and equip them as they face challenges in life.”
“The 47 different presenters that came to Muir for the day talked with students about self empowerment, mindfulness, nutrition, yoga, anti-vaping awareness, and suicide prevention,” Miller also said. “The students were given tools to deal with stress and anxiety; different ways to be physically healthier; and motivation to be more proactive in their own physical and mental health.”
Jessie Funk, a renowned teen self-empowerment speaker, and Robb Holladay, a national anti-vaping speaker, gave presentations for MUIR EMPOWERED.
Other participants included Mindfulness USC, The Institute for Girls Development, The National Center for Child Traumatic Stress at UCLA, National Alliance on Mental Illness, Kaiser Permanente, CSUN Psychology Department, American Diabetes Association, Burbank Family Services Agency, Didi Hirsch, Resilient Heart, TEEN LINE, Hope Therapy Center, Counseling 4 Kids, Destinations for Teens and a large group of yoga instructors.
“We wanted to take back the term ‘mental health’ and remove any negative connotation,” he added. “We tried to teach students that just like it is important to take care of their physical health, they must similarly be intentional in taking care of their mental health.”
