New 8th Grade Course Explores Components Of Healthy Living
The Middle School years can be a challenging time for students everywhere as there is much to navigate both academically and socially. In an effort to come alongside our middle school students, this year PCA introduced a new Health & Wellness class taught by Shelly Kaiser. Not only does the course better equip students to make healthy choices for their bodies, it also addresses spiritual and relational health. In doing so, Kaiser hopes these 8th grade students will learn how to better navigate stress and support one another.
“This is a class where students are learning about the 5 giants they are faced with in life: Relational, Spiritual, Physical, Financial and Vocational,” explained Kaiser. “I then help them break those giants down and learn how to face them and slay them. I also help them learn what it takes to live a full life with good health.”
Kaiser does this by spending the year concentrating on the four components of health: mental health, nutritional health, physical health, and most importantly, spiritual health. Students learn about living a healthy lifestyle and why it's important. “I help them realize they have been given this one body from God and are called to take care of it and steward it so we can love God and others well,” said Kaiser.
The Health & Wellness class is held on alternating Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. It’s currently offered to 8th graders with plans to extend to additional grades next year.
“I truly have a heart for people to take care of themselves by living healthy, fruitful lives,” said Kaiser. “It has been a gift to teach the 8th graders this year and to hopefully inspire them at a young age to grow spiritually, eat healthy, move some, create long lasting friendships and to know it's always okay to ask for help when feeling down and alone.”