K-12 Wellness Academy Certificate Program

Program Description
This one-day workshop will focus on the development and implementation of wellness programs for the K-12 population. Wellness for the adult population is distinct from wellness for youth. While adult wellness generally encourages people to change (i.e., lose weight, stop smoking), wellness for youth is focused on helping youth examine wellness from the beginning—developing healthy lifestyles by learning to make positive choices. In addition, K-12 wellness is best structured based on the developmental levels and issues for students, so focus changes according to grade level as students grow and change. Programs that do not consider these important developmental issues often miss out on important ways to reach students, particularly in the middle/high school arena, when the major wellness focus is on social/emotional. The harmful behaviors that can begin during this age group (e.g., smoking, drugs) are often a consequence of the young person's social/emotional balance, and merely focusing on the physical aspects of these substances can completely miss the target.

Because funding for wellness programs in schools is often inadequate, this workshop will also focus on helping you develop highly creative programs using resources and materials that are already in place or easily available and relatively inexpensive. The best wellness programs are often created within an existing curriculum. The workshop will introduce you to grade-appropriate activities that can help facilitate this integration. The most important function of the teacher in wellness programming for youth is modeling, thus staff wellness is as important as any other facet of a K-12 initiative. Learn how to involve your faculty and staff in creative ways. Finally, share your wellness programs with others: gather ideas, give ideas!

Objectives
Participants will be able to:

1. define wellness and understand how wellness for children differs from adult wellness
2. describe the developmental issues pertinent to creating an effective wellness program
3. describe the dimensions of wellness for K-12 programming: physical/ social/emotional, mental, staff wellness
4. create wellness activities
5. develop and use effective activities by grade level
6. develop strategies to optimize staff wellness

Current NWI Member Registration Fee
By April 15, 2010: $100
After April 15, 2010: $150

Non-NWI Member Registration Fee*
By April 15, 2010: $200
After April 15, 2010: $250
*Non-member registration includes one year membership in the National Wellness Institute starting the date conference registration payment is received.

Register online or download a printable registration form to mail or fax.

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