News
Nutrition Month and the Great Big Crunch
March is Nutrition Month and this year Dietitians of Canada will be celebrating with the theme Ingredients for a Healthier Tomorrow. They will be exploring key steps to create sustainable food systems in Canada. Information on Nutrition Month can be found here. For classroom activities, click here. On March 10th take part in the Great Big Crunch. Organized by the Coalition for Healthy School Food, the Great Big Crunch is a national movement where students, parents and teachers crunch into apples (or other crunchy fruit or vegetables) to make noise for healthy school food. Find out more.
New Survey Results About Youth Health and Well-being in B.C.
The Youth Development Instrument (YDI) is a self-report questionnaire administered to Grade 11 students to learn about their social and emotional development, health, and well-being. The YDI’s first pilot was conducted in 2021 and over 2,000 students participated across six B.C. school districts and one independent school. Infographics of the findings can be found here. If you are interested in participating or you would like more information, contact the YDI team at ydi@sfu.ca.
Articles
Four Ways Nature Can Protect Well-being
There is no question that most people have experienced increased stress during the COVID-19 pandemic. From reducing stress to restoring our attention, this article explores four proven ways that getting outside and connecting with nature can help support our mental health and well-being. It’s not just for adults either, take your class outdoors and into nature and you will all reap the benefits. Find out more.
Stories
Hatching Chicks on Salt Spring Island
Salt Spring Elementary is jumping into spring by hatching chicks. Local farmers donated the eggs and Salt Spring Island Poultry Club lent the school equipment and expertise. Read one educator’s blog post for tips on linking the chick-hatching project to other classroom activities and what to do if you can't have animals in your school but want to bring your students the joy of the chick-hatching project. Find out more.
Resources
Stepping Stone to Indigenous Sport & Physical Activity
Indigenous Sport, Physical Activity & Recreation Council (ISPARC) is offering their e-learning course, The Stepping Stone to Indigenous Sport and Physical Activity Participation, free to coaches and recreation leaders until March 15th, 2022. The purpose of the training is to increase knowledge about the Indigenous Long-Term Participant Development Pathway (ILTPD), and to better understand the needs of physical activity leaders and enhance their ability to run developmentally and holistically appropriate programs for Indigenous participants and athletes. Find out more.
Announcements
Living Life to the Full
Register your school or youth club for Living Life to the Full for Youth, an evidence-based resilience skills course from the B.C. Division of the Canadian Mental Health Association. In eight weekly 1.5-hour sessions, the course covers topics such as combatting low mood and isolation, problem-solving, healthy thinking, managing anger and anxiety, and boosting self-esteem. Take part for free thanks to a special initiative funded by the Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions. Find out more.
SunSense
Sign your school up to become a SunSense certified school. The SunSense program provides free resources to elementary schools to create a sun safe environment at school. These include UV bracelets, lesson plans, posters, a shade planning guide, policy toolkit and more. By tracking activities, schools earn points towards certification. Find out more.
The Canada Post Community Foundation
Apply for a Canada Post Community Foundation grant between March 7 and 31, 2022. This funding opportunity is open to schools, charities and community organizations that help make a difference in the lives of children and youth. Specifically, grants are available for projects that support at least one of three areas: community, education and health. Find out more.
