This is part three in the series; see parts one and two. By Kelly Watson Moss and Kelly Morris O’Neill.
Wellness Day provides a unique opportunity for the whole school community and the broader community to step away from screens and connect through shared experiences, conversations, and collaboration. It allows students to see their educators and other staff members in a completely different light. It makes their teachers human.
This is more than a day filled with activities. It is a reminder that strong relationships are at the heart of healthy schools and thriving communities. Throughout the day, students participate in workshops with their teachers, local organizations, and community volunteers, which strengthens communication skills as well as many other skills. Whether students are learning how to create art or practicing mindfulness activities, the experiences enhance the idea of being present. Shared moments in these activities help break down barriers, build trust, and create authentic relationships through those shared experiences.
Research consistently shows that students who feel connected to their school community are more likely to be engaged in learning, demonstrate resiliency, and experience improved mental, emotional, and overall well-being. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2024; Hattie, 2023). Wellness Day intentionally creates opportunities for every student to find something they want to explore and do so while interacting with a caring adult.
Adult Benefits of Wellness Days
It isn’t just the students who get to connect differently; it’s the staff too! Teachers get the opportunity to connect with students in new ways. They can share their own passions and experiences. Students see teachers and staff in a new light and build stronger connections with staff members who share their interests. Our pickleball workshop illustrates this beautifully—staff and students bond over a sport they both love. Two of our staff members, including Lisa Sloan, have run a pickleball workshop every year and had this to say about the experience. “Coaching pickleball during Wellness Day provides middle school students with a fun opportunity to build cardiovascular fitness, coordination, balance, and overall physical stamina. We (coaches) created a supportive, low-pressure environment that encouraged students of all skill levels to participate and stay active. Positive early experiences with movement and non-traditional physical activity can help students develop healthy exercise habits they may carry into adulthood. Overall, pickleball at Wellness Day allowed students across fitness levels and from diverse social backgrounds to participate in and learn a physical activity that can be played across their lifetimes!” The idea of a “lifetime activity” became a reality—due to the workshop’s high interest, our athletic director started an intramural pickleball club.
One of the local pediatricians steps outsider her medical role each year to share a different passion. One such workshop she hosted was DIY No-Fail Succulents, where students created their own “succulent garden” to add some greenery to their spaces that simply won’t die. Why? Because they are made of painted rocks! Wellness Day is a great opportunity for her to see her patients in a different light, just as it’s great for them to see her differently too. Dr. Johnson states, “This is an opportunity for me to see them (my patients) on their turf and help them hopefully feel comfortable in a different environment. We talk about wellness in my office in a lot of different ways, and this was yet another experience for me to be able to talk about the other components of wellness.”
The spirit of community giving back continues with our coastal lifeguards, who bring their expertise to our students. Living in the seacoast area of New Hampshire means regular access to the bay, saltwater rivers, and the ocean. Water safety is essential to life in our coastal community. As part of our Wellness Day, the Hampton Beach Lifeguards come to explain the dangers of the ocean and how to protect oneself if danger arises. They also run the participants through a mock up lifeguard certification test. Captain Murphy has deep ties to our school—he attended here as a student, worked here, and understands the importance of giving back and educating about water safety. The “Lifeguard 101” workshop has reached many students, as Captain Murphy notes: “Health & Wellness Day at the Cooperative Middle School has been a great opportunity for the NH State Beach Patrol to reach the next generation on ocean/water safety along with promoting a profession that instills physical and mental well-being. Our workshop has made it possible to reach many students who may not know the dangers present when visiting the beach. Health & Wellness Day has also shown students that a profession can be more than just a "job" but a way to keep other people safe while doing something enjoyable.” When community members share their expertise, students gain skills that extend far beyond Wellness Day while opening their eyes to career paths that combine service with physical and mental well-being.
The spirit of community giving back continues with UNH, whose athletes and STEM programs enrich our Wellness Day. Football and soccer athletes from UNH (University of New Hampshire) lead skills, drills, and pick-up games, which are very popular with students. We also have been fortunate for the last few years to have the UNH STEM-MoBILE Lab run workshops. The mobile lab focuses on biofabrication—an emerging field that uses science to regenerate cells, tissues, and organs. One year, students made heart models using agar and red cabbage dye, and another year they performed mock de-cellularization and re-cellularization using pH changes. The partnership has been rewarding for everyone involved. This supports physical wellness through athletics and intellectual wellness through hands-on STEM learning. The STEM-MoBILE team describes their experience: "Our team members were blown away both years by the event... We love seeing kids enthusiastically participate in fun, engaging activities of their choice to help them manage their Health and Wellness. This event not only plants the seed for these students to prioritize their Wellness throughout their lives, but very clearly also builds school spirit and the sense of community at Cooperative Middle School!" The UNH partnership exemplifies how community connects open doors to new possibilities, providing students with access to diverse expertise and experiences-from athletics to STEM-that support their growth and enrich their wellness journey.
The Whole Community Benefits
In the end, this day helps to build relationships and skills beyond the walls of a classroom. It helps connect students to trusted adults, introduces new skills, and builds a stronger community for those all around us.
Wellness Day is a great reminder that educating the whole child requires more than just the teachers—it takes the whole community. By bringing together students, educators, families, businesses, first responders, healthcare professionals, artists, athletes, and volunteers, we create an environment where everyone has something to teach, and everyone has something to learn. We are not simply hosting a day of activities; we are working to build a stronger, healthier, more connected school community and build support for our school in the community, one relationship at a time.
