In health and wellness lessons and projects, Spartans in all divisions learn skills that empower them to engage in health-enhancing behaviors throughout their lives. 

Steward's Health and Wellness program is coordinated by Catherine Graves '98 and taught by her and the other members of the Center for Engagement: Alexa Bolt (coordinator of service learning and engagement), Alejandro Prince (coordinator of community and belonging), and Jentae-Scott Mayo (school counselor). Mrs. Graves works closely with her Center teammates to coordinate Character Education lessons and other health & wellness initiatives for the Steward community. 

Digging in: Sensory Stations
Mrs. Scott-Mayo taught Character Education, which is the Lower School component of Health & Wellness, to students in JK-grade 2 during the first marking period. She recently led those students in sensory stations along the Colonnade for an outdoor Character Education experience. 

Taking advantage of the sunny and mild fall weather, students explored the contents of “sensory bins,” each of which held collections of sensory-enhancing items. Spartans could poke around in a “dinosaur dig” bin, explore the textures and colors of small, bright objects in an “outer space” bin, and scoop up bright blue sand and buried treasures in an “underwater” bin. In addition, students tapped into various feelings and emotions with the help of a magnetic “feeling face” activity, played hopscotch to explore body and mind stillness, or reached for markers and “calm coloring” sheets to create their very own masterpieces. 

“Self-management is one of the areas of focus of Character Education, and sensory stations are a great way to teach this,” said Mrs. Scott-Mayo. Students loved the project and smiled as they proudly showed off their discoveries. “This was a great way to enjoy nature – our schoolwide theme for 2025-26 – as we dove into a hands-on exploration. Plus, experiencing nature benefits our mental health and well-being.”

In the second marking period, Mrs. Graves, Mrs. Bolt, and Mr. Prince are teaching Character Education lessons to students in grades JK-5. 

“During the first marking period, my colleagues and I focused on opportunities to build community and belonging in all divisions – setting a solid foundation to equip students with the support systems they need to succeed inside and outside the classroom,” said Mrs. Graves. “Character Education classes for grades 3-5, which I teach, will focus on assertiveness, self-esteem, anxiety, and stress management during the second marking period.” She added, “In the second marking period, Mrs. Bolt and Mr. Prince will teach Character Education classes to JK-2 students and focus on gratitude, empathy, honesty/integrity, community and belonging, and cooperation/teamwork.”

Mindful Methods
Mrs. Scott-Mayo collaborated recently with Middle/Upper School Librarian Crystal Hamlin on a mindfulness project for eighth graders in conjunction with Steward’s wellness curriculum. Five hands-on stations – bracelet-making, fidgets, puzzles, reverse-coloring sheets, and block stacking – were available in the library for students to use during their wellness class time. 

Greta Craig ’30 especially enjoyed working on a puzzle with a couple of classmates. Slowing down a bit during the school day “made me realize how much of the day I spend working and constantly trying to stay focused,” they said. “This was a great opportunity to relax my mind from the constant flow of school work and the pressure of getting everything correct.”

Mrs. Scott-Mayo had the students journal for 10 minutes after rotating through the stations and denote which activity they found the most restful/relaxing/mindful and why. The stations were a hit with students. 

“It is amazing how settled they became,” said Mrs. Hamlin. She noted, “Research shows that mindfulness can help lower blood pressure and even help decrease anxiety and depression. Life is stressful, so any time we can get students to take a mental break (either active or restful) is a win!” Mrs. Hamlin added that there are always hands-on activities available for Middle/Upper Schoolers who want to stop by when they’re not in class, including a jigsaw puzzle, a sticker puzzle, coloring sheets, a reusable art board, and games. 

Mrs. Scott-Mayo said, “Mindfulness provides intentional space to pause, process, and regulate emotions in the midst of a fast-paced, constantly shifting school day. Students often move quickly from one class to another, shifting between academic and social demands. This constant transition doesn’t give the brain sufficient time to process information, recover from stress, or integrate experiences. Practicing mindfulness helps students develop emotional regulation, giving them tools to recognize and manage their feelings, reduce stress, and build resilience.”

Rest, Resilience, and Self-Care, Teen Edition
In the Upper School, sophomore health and wellness classes are completing the Teen Mental Health First Aid (tMHFA) training course this year. tMHFA is an evidence-based program that teaches teens 14-18 how to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental health or substance use challenges in their peers. 

“The tMHFA curriculum integrated seamlessly with our existing sophomore seminar health and wellness curriculum,” said Mrs. Graves. “I love that students have the opportunity to learn different perspectives, and I am enjoying the collaboration with Mrs.Scott-Mayo. The training equips students with practical skills to have supportive conversations and, most importantly, to seek help from a trusted adult when needed.”

All sophomores will have the tMHFA certification by the end of this school year. Mrs. Scott-Mayo noted, “Young people often turn to each other when stressed or upset and may take on more than they can handle. This program reinforces the message that they don’t have to navigate these challenges alone and includes components that teach rest, resilience, and self-care.”