Trying to lead a healthy lifestyle can often seem like a balancing act—there are a lot of moving parts and when one area is off balance, it can throw off all the others. In the same vein, bolstering one area can help strengthen the others. Newark Central Schools and Bloomfield Central School District help their employees find balance with fun, engaging activities designed to improve social and physical wellness.
Having healthy social connections and activities can improve your mood and relieve your stress, which in turn improves your physical health. And sometimes, a social activity can contribute positively to your spiritual needs and financial well-being.
That’s what participants of a recent chili cook-off, hosted by Bloomfield CSD’s Wellness Committee, discovered.
“As a district we like to get colleagues together,” says Michelle Baker, Bloomfield CSD Wellness Coordinator and Academic Intervention Services teacher at the elementary school. “So why not get together and do something that also benefits an organization?”
Bloomfield CSD’s chili cook-off featured a variety of chilis, including fiesta chicken chili, mac ’n’ cheese chili, chili with pork and vegetarian chili.
The idea for the chili cook-off all started with a district potluck in November. Staff members could bring any healthy dish they wanted to, but they had to email the recipe to Baker, who compiled everything into a cookbook. The food-focused event was such a hit that the district decided it wanted to hold another one.
That’s when they decided on a March chili cook-off to raise money for the National Kidney Foundation. March is National Kidney Month, making it a fun nod to one of chili’s staple ingredients—kidney beans. Participants paid $1 to bring a chili dish and $1 to taste. There was lots to choose from, including fiesta chicken chili, mac ’n’ cheese chili, chili with pork and vegetarian chili. And every dish was easy to make with affordable ingredients.
The cook-off also boosted morale and relieved stress by giving staff members a fun opportunity to converse and share stories, Baker says. By the end of the day, the school raised $156 for the National Kidney Foundation.
“We decided we’re going to do an end-of-year salad party because we had so much fun,” Baker says.
What started as a simple weight loss competition at Newark has blossomed into a multi-dimensional activity that fosters greater physical fitness and social connections.
Robyn Monahan and Inger Rothpearl are Newark High School nurses and Wellness Co-coordinators. About four years ago, Monahan began a Biggest Loser competition at the high school. The following year she decided to expand it to the whole district.
Newark CSD Wellness Co-coordinators Robyn Monahan (from left) and Inger Rothpearl create fitness activities and challenges—like the district’s Biggest Loser challenge—that help staff and faculty get healthy while having fun.
The competition began in January, with participants weighing in, and ended before spring break. FLASHP wellness funds were used to purchase prizes like Fitbits, Kindles and Beats By Dre ear buds for the top 10 “losers” (participants who lose the most weight). Before Monahan and Rothpearl knew it, the number of staff members participating had skyrocketed to 200.
This year, Monahan and Rothpearl wanted to offer employees even more. They coordinated with Danelle Bell, owner of and instructor at Refuel Group Fitness in Newark, who offered free fitness classes for all Newark CSD staff members from February through April.
The classes have turned into a social hour. The fun comes from knowing each other and seeing familiar faces.
“I’ve gone to just about every class, and plan to go there after the free sessions are complete,” Monahan says. “The instructors are very inspiring.”
The result? Not only are staff members working toward becoming healthier and losing weight but the gym atmosphere provides a great stress reliever.
“People are coming to work feeling better about themselves,” Monahan says. “They are conscientious about working toward a common goal.”
