During the month of May we celebrate Mental Health Awareness Month. We appreciate our mental health staff who tirelessly provide care, guidance, and encouragement to our students and families. Your commitment to service, empathy, and dedication to enhancing the lives of our students is greatly appreciated. We also want to acknowledge the invaluable contributions of our educators, who play a critical role in nurturing and supporting our young people. Your role extends beyond academic as you serve as mentors, confidants, and sources of comfort and guidance for students facing various challenges, including those related to mental health.

It's a time to raise awareness, break stigmas, and advocate for accessible mental health resources and services for all.Thank you for your unwavering dedication and commitment to fostering mental health awareness and supporting those in need.

Enjoy this month’s edition of Mindful Pathways.

Join us in wearing GREEN on May 7, 2024 in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month. All students and staff are invited to participate!

Pictured above are staff from Hamilton Elementary School wearing green for Mental Health Awareness Month, 2023.

Mental Health Awareness Month

During Mental Health Awareness Month, we have an opportunity to break the stigma around mental health in our school community by talking openly, compassionately, and kindly to each other. No one should ever struggle alone.

During Mental Health Awareness Month, NAMI joins the mental health community to reaffirm our commitment to building our understanding of mental illness, increasing access to treatment and ensuring those who are struggling know they are not alone.

If you or someone you know wants to be connected to a mental health care provider, contact Care Solace, a complimentary and confidential mental health care coordination service provided by Wayne-Westland Community School District:

• Call 888-515-0595. Multilingual support is available 24/7/365.

• Visit www.caresolace.com/wwcsd and either search on your own OR click “Book Appointment” for assistance by video chat, email, or phone.

Don’t hesitate to ask for help, use the resources around you, and never give up hope.

Cash for Grads is an event for seniors to learn about scholarships, apply for college, understand pathways, get FAFSA support, and to win scholarship money for college.

Wayne Memorial students at Schools to Tools, participating in hands on experiences that exposed them to the skilled trades.

Digital Divas and Digital Dudes is helping to build awareness of STEM majors and careers for young men and women to consider after high school graduation.

National Guard: "Meet the Guard" Field Trip. The students from John Glenn had a hands-on experience at the National Guard Training Center in Taylor, MI. Here they experience all of the Careers available to them within the Guard, and got to meet with Service Folks about their experiences.

Save the Date! The Women of Aerospace Industry Association of Michigan (WAIAM) is preparing for our third annual Michigan Girls Future Flight Challenge - a virtual, free, state-wide aerospace competition for girls in 4th-8th grade - this Fall from October 12th - November 9th! Registration will open in July.

The Flight Challenge is a fun, creative way for students to learn about a career in aerospace; ultimately strengthening the talent pipeline in Michigan. Keep reading for more details on the event.

• Students participate in groups of 2-6 - they choose and register with their group.
• Teams are challenged over a 4-week period beginning in October to design a sustainable flight vehicle to solve any problem of their choosing. Additional details will be communicated in the coming months.
• Students will navigate subjects of engineering, design, finance, marketing and business planning.
• Through the Challenge, students will have an opportunity to meet with women who work in aerospace across Michigan, learn about their role in the aerospace industry, and ask them for advice on their project.

The Michigan Girls Future Flight Challenge is broken into two main events along with 4-weeks of independent group work. The Virtual Kick-Off Event will be on October 12th featuring keynote and mentor speakers and serve as a platform to answer any questions. After 4-weeks of group work and meeting with mentors, the girls will come back together for the Virtual Final Presentations on November 9th. Every participant will receive an event t-shirt and WAIAM will award prizes valued up to $1,000 for the top teams.

Spread the word!

Help us reach more girls and women in the aerospace industry by sharing the attached event flyer with schools, educators, other parents, and students in 4th-8th grade. In addition, you can use the attached article for newsletters and/or social media post captions.

This event is entirely virtual and free to attend because we don’t want anyone to miss out on this astronomical opportunity! Stay tuned for our registration announcement in July. Teams will need to register with their group name and members.

The goal of WAIAM’s MGFFC is to strengthen the talent pipeline, educate students on the industry as a whole, and show them that you do not have to be an engineer to have a great career in aerospace!

We would not be able to offer this event at no cost for all girls across the state if not for the support of the AIAM Foundation!

📣 Applications are NOW OPEN for SchoolHouse Connection’s 2025 Youth Leadership and Scholarship Program! This NEW timeline means they can support students beginning their postsecondary education in the 2025-26 school year earlier in their educational journey, walk alongside them through their entire final year of high school, FAFSA, and as they navigate post-secondary next steps. The scholarship includes: a $2,500 Award, 1-on-1 Support from the SchoolHouse Connection team, 3 All-Expenses-Paid Trips, and more. 💡 Learn more and apply at SchoolHouseConnection.org/Scholarship.

▶️ Hear from recent scholars! https://youtu.be/JUzufwhsR5o

Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Strong4Life's brain break videos are fun and engaging activities for kids to take a break from classwork (including homework or studying at home), get active, and promote physical well-being. Energize with these awesome videos that keep your brains and bodies strong!

Check out the video playlist on their YouTube channel.

1. Change to Chill - An abundance of resources including lesson plans, guided imagery, meditations, quizzes.

2. NAMI California - Provides a list of mental health resources specifically aimed at young people who are still in school. The resources include hotlines, crisis support, self-care tips, and information on mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression.

3. Kids/Teens Health - Includes articles and videos on a range of topics related to mental well-being, such as stress, anxiety, depression, and self-esteem. The website also offers advice on healthy relationships, communication, and coping strategies.

4. Worksheets for Kids - An abundance of worksheets to help support student mental health.

Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Strong4Life's brain break videos are fun and engaging activities for kids to take a break from classwork (including homework or studying at home), get active, and promote physical well-being. Energize with these awesome videos that keep your brains and bodies strong!

Check out the video playlist on their YouTube channel.

All Ages:

1. Inside Out (2015) - This animated film explores the emotions of a young girl and how they affect her behavior.

2. Wonder (2017) - A heartwarming story about a boy with facial differences who attends public school for the first time and teaches his peers about acceptance and empathy.

3. Soul (2020) - An animated film about a jazz musician who learns about the meaning of life and what it means to have a purpose.

Middle/ High School:

1. Freedom Writers (2007) - A true story about a teacher who inspires her at-risk students to find hope through writing.

2. "Happy" (2011) - This documentary explores what makes people happy and how we can find happiness in our lives.

3. "Angst" (2017) - This documentary explores the topic of anxiety and how it affects people of all ages.

4. "The S Word" (2017) - This documentary explores the topic of suicide and how we can prevent it.

1. Create a sensory box: A sensory box is a personalized container that allows anyone to connect with their five senses instantly when feeling emotional discomfort or overwhelmed.

2. Pet Cactus Rocks - An easy and fun outdoor craft.

3. Vision Board - A great way to get students thinking about future aspirations or how they feel in the moment.

Great Mindfulness Activities

1. Insight Timer - A free app with thousands of guided meditations and talks.

2. 5-4-3-2-1 Technique - This mindfulness technique can be used anywhere, anytime. Start with some deep breaths and begin to find 5 things you can see, 4 things you can feel, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste. Doing this can create distance from unpleasant feelings or sensations.

3. Body Scan - A body scan helps to become connected to the sensations throughout your body. Start at your toes and notice what you feel, then slowly move up your body until you reach the top of your head. If this activity becomes triggering, focus on a neutral part of the body like the tip of your nose, elbows, fingertips, bellybutton, etc.

4. Felt Sense Vocabulary - This vocabulary list is meant to help describe specific sensations in your body by using neutral descriptive words instead of unpleasant terms such as “stabbing” or “excruciating”.By using words from the felt sense vocabulary list, it is easier to simply observe the sensations without getting overwhelmed by them.

5. Mindful Eating - Eating is often a rushed, mindless activity that provides us with just enough fuel to complete our next task. It is also often used to numb or distract us from unpleasant emotions. Alternatively, mindful eating is a process that helps us to slow down and truly enjoy the process of nourishing our bodies.

6. Stretching Brain Break - Use this video to guide your school through a 4-minute brain break.

7. Box Breathing or 4-7-8 Breathing - These are two breathing techniques used to activate the parasympathetic nervous system which lowers the body’s stress response.

• Box breathing: inhale for a count of 4; hold for a count of 4; exhale for a count of 4; hold for a count of 4. It may help to draw your finger in the shape of a square, one line of the square for each count of 4.

• 4-7-8 Breathing: breathe in for 4 seconds, hold for 7, and exhale for 8 seconds.

May 6: Medication-Assisted Treatment – Is It Effective? What’s New?

At this forum, you will hear experts discuss various types of medication-assisted treatment for substance use disorder, including how to access it, its benefits, possible drawbacks, and why it is becoming more popular. You will also hear about an innovative program launched in the Emergency Department at Beaumont Hospital (Corewell Health) utilizing medications for opioid use disorder. Finally, you’ll hear from people in recovery from Substance Use Disorder who successfully used Medication-Assisted Treatment to achieve and maintain their recovery. Refreshments will be provided by Skywood Recovery. Please see the flyer above for more details.

June 3: Recover With A Clean Slate! Legal Update and Expungement Fair in Partnership with SEMCA.

At FAN’s June Public Forum, you will hear experts from the Southeast Michigan Community Alliance explain the new, more expansive rules in Michigan for expunging a person’s criminal record. In addition, SEMCA staff will begin the process of expunging the criminal records of attendees whose convictions are eligible for expungement at NO COST to the attendees as part of the WayneLINC Clean Slate Expungement Program.

· Only Wayne County residents are eligible for expungement assistance through SEMCA.

· SEMCA will assist with eligible convictions throughout the State of Michigan.

· SEMCA will take eligible participants through the entire Clean Slate process – from program application through the hearing and removal of conviction.

· Pre-Screening must be done via the QR Code on the flyer below, in advance of the June 3rd forum to determine conviction eligibility.

The Family Resource Center provides free services to any Wayne-Westland family. They provide essential needs assistance, access to over 700 local resources, a laundry assistance program, and material items for those unable to afford them (emergency toiletries, socks/underwear, hats/gloves/scarves, etc.) They can also supply school supplies and backpacks year-round for any WWCS student. Contact our Family Resource Center at 734-419-2709, FRC@wwcsd.net, or complete the Digital Request for Services Form. Please contact the Family Resource Center directly with additional questions regarding their services.

Blessings in a Backpack is a non-profit organization that feeds school children who currently are fed during the week on the federally funded Free and Reduced Meal Program and are at risk of going hungry on the weekends. We are currently feeding 49 students from Hicks Elementary. This program is funded through donations and grants. It costs $155 to feed a student for the entire year through Blessings in a Backpack.

See the link for more information about donating to this program. Please indicate that you would like your donation to be applied to Wayne-Westland Community Schools so that our program receives the donation.

Gleaners will be hosting a new food distribution site in the Wayne-Westland Community School District, starting on April 25th. The new location will be at Marshall Upper Elementary, and replaces the previously distribution location at Adams Middle School. Anyone in need of food is encouraged to attend and receive 30 pounds of nutritious groceries, like milk, fresh fruits, vegetables, lean protein and other shelf-stable items. No appointment is needed.

Gleaners Free Food Distribution Flyer

Where: Marshall Upper Elementary School - 35100 Bayview St, Westland, MI 48186 (formerly held at Adams Middle School)

When: Thursdays (bi-weekly) 9:00 - 11:00 a.m.

See upcoming 2024 dates below:

• April 25

• May 9, 23

• June 6, 20

• July 18

• August 1, 15, 29

• September 12
  

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Additional Event Details

• Drive-Up Only — Stay in your vehicle, and groceries will be placed into your trunk.

• ~35 Pounds of Groceries — Items like milk, fresh fruits, vegetables, lean protein and other shelf-stable items.

• No Appointment Needed — You do not need to bring identification or proof of eligibility to receive food. You do need to provide name, address, number of people living in the household, and number of children living in the household.

• Guidelines — To respect our neighborhoods, please arrive no earlier than 1 hour before distribution start times. Early arrivals will be asked to return later.

• Availability — If you wish to pick up for another household you may do so without their presence in the car, however you will need to provide information for each household. We allow up to 4 households per vehicle.

• Faster Service — Get a free Link2Feed card that saves your household info and makes pick-up quick and easy! Sign up online or ask for a card in person!

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  Gleaners and Forgotten Harvest Client Enrollment

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Please note: To respect our neighborhoods, please arrive no earlier than 1 hour before distribution start times. Early arrivals will be asked to return later.

Our junior students attended the Metro Detroit College Fair, and had the opportunity to speak with representatives from 150 different universities and programs. It was especially interesting to learn about foreign campuses!

Our senior incentive trip to Pigeon Forge was a wonderful experience, and we are so proud of our students who earned this opportunity.