Three best friends and A WELLNESS COUNCIL
Echoing wellbeing among students!
Our Vision
In 2024, three best buddies and students of Symbiosis International School, Pune - Kiyan Kapur, along with Aria Khambatta and Nirvaan Thakur (both of whom are approachable, warm and well-liked psychology students)– decided to assist with matters of wellbeing among school students in their school. They formed a Wellness Council, under the mentorship of NAME TEACHER. This was a student-led movement to lighten the mood, help students cope and make better choices
BY THE STUDENTS, FOR THE STUDENTS
Along with Aria, the three of us co-create Wellness Ethics to spread relief and joy among younger students through mindful yet interactive sessions during school hours. We brought about real change in school
I conducted activities for students of Grade 4C. My most memorable ones being goal-and-aim game where students had to throw a ball into a bin while blindfolded, freeflowing dance sessions to music videos playing on the smartboard. It had had everyone laughing and letting loose. A little laughter and a lot of empathy – for oneself and others – can go a long way
Working with my best friend didn’t feel like a task. It helped us understand each other better and brought us closer. While conducting activities, we were building memories. Wellness Whisperer holds so much potential for all those who want to experience this.
Hey!
I am Aria Anne Khambatta. At 17, I call myself a pet whisperer and an old soul with purpose. Don’t be surprised if you find me listening to a playlist of Schubert or pondering over Tolstoy quotes.
Teen age is a sensitive ‘era’ in our lives. It is filled with exam and peer tension. Along with Kiyan and Nirvaan, we created a wellness pocket with Ethics Council. It was a tribute to a school scape every student wished they had.
Since an early age, I work well in a system – students need a flow of routine and protocol. But there are cracks and it is important to address them. The project was directed to expose young students to the need for compassion, calm, and community. Making one student feel seen and supported was a personal win.
Working with Kiyaan and Nirvaan was a blast. We fought, we laughed, and we followed our hearts to make it a successful council.Together, they designed interactive sessions that would introduce the idea of wellness to kids and sow seeds for their journey towards good mental wellbeing. They conducted them simultaneously (in 3 sections) for Grade 4 students. The pilot was successful and well-received… and these activities have been expanded to help Grade 1-5 students. Take a look!
Wellness Bingo
Pass the parcel
Balance relay
Thrower & the Coach
One kind deed doesn’t take more than a few seconds or a few sentences. Wellness Bingo encouraged participants to take a few seconds to carry out a flex kindness: Give someone a high-five, compliment a classmate, pick up the trash, hold the door for the person after you, draw a happy face for a friend, etc. Wellness bingo made it possible to spread joy within just a few moments.
We’ve all played passing the parcel as kids. This version had a twist: Whoever held the object when the music stopped had to compliment the person sitting on his/her left and right. Happy hormones galore, let the music stop, the feel-good emotion continues. Only gratitude, no punishments
Balancing a book on your head is ‘focus in motion’. Each participant was made to walk their way to the wellness jar, while balancing the book on their heads. Once they reached the jar, the book was put down and they had to pick a chit and answer a question about themselves. From favourite fruits to the last time they helped out someone at home or school, the activity combined motor skills with balance in a fun way.
This was a two-player game in which one blindfolded thrower would be spun and then be positioned to take instructions from the partner, who in turn would coach him/her to aim a ball into a bin. It required the players to relay precise instructions and act upon them with intuition and confidence.
Why become a Wellness Whisperer
IB SCHOOL WELLNESS SYLLABUS UNDER PRIMARY YEARS PROGRAMME
Most IB schools offer a Wellness Syllabus under Primary Years Programme designed for students aged 3 to 12. The Wellness Council referred to the syllabus introduced by Symbiosis School, Pune.
Grade 1
Unit on self-organisation: How to organise ideas/ thoughts
Start a Whisper
Grade 2
Unit on Self-awareness: Where students explore their interests, abilities and set goals
Grade 4
Unit on calming down: Where they explore Wait & cool off, Walk away, Talk about it, Reflect, Apologise and Ignore techniques
Grade 3
Unit on International mindedness: Where students inquire into how we can develop and promote international mindedness
Grade 5
Unit on Wellbeing: Where they work on the aspect of conflict resolution through I-messages. Template example: I feel…………….when you……………because………..”
Get started
We will be happy to help you set it up in your school.
We
are
better
together.
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