Sunrise Drive Holds S.T.R.I.D.E.S. Strength Walk on Last Day in April

Throughout the year-long S.T.R.I.D.E.S. initiative to promote social-emotional wellness, one Sayville Core Value was celebrated each month. Since the fall, the focus has shifted from Self-Esteem to Trust, Resiliency, Independence, Diversity, Empathy, and finally to Strength. So, on the last day of April—“Strength” month—Sunrise Drive held a school-wide Strength Walk to acknowledge the successful culmination of a challenging year.

To make the day special, Sunrise faculty and staff wore their Sayville S.T.R.I.D.E.S. shirts and students wore their Sunrise Strong shirts. Before the Walk, Sunrise Drive students and staff viewed the S.T.R.I.D.E.S Strength Video especially prepared for the entire district. Hearing the personal comments from administrators, teachers, staff, and students about what makes one strong was an inspiring way for the Sunrise Drive students to prepare for their personal journey on the outdoor Strength Walk

Each Sunrise Drive grade, divided into cohorts to maintain health-and-safety protocols, participated in the Walk. Different themed stations were set up with specific activities to do along the way. Student Council members hosted the Walk for their fellow students. They shared and explained different aspects of strength at each station and helped the elementary students reflect on the Physical, Mental, Social, Academic, Emotional strengths (see below) they would need to navigate life:

• Physical:1) what physical strength is, 2) why it is important to overall wellbeing, and 3) tips on how to take care of ourselves physically. The “station” will be the actual walk throughout the event.
• Mental: 1) what mental strength is, 2) why it is important to their overall wellbeing, and 3) tips on how to take care of ourselves mentally.
• Social:  1) what social strength is, 2) why it is important to their overall wellbeing, and 3) tips on how to grow our social strength.
• Academic: 1) what academic strength is, 2) why it is important to their overall wellbeing, and 3) tips on how to grow our academic strength.
• Emotional: 1) what emotional strength is, 2) why it is important to their overall wellbeing, and 3) tips on how to take care of our emotional strength.  In addition, at this station there was an arts-and-craft activity. Students picked one of five shapes that represented each of the five types of strength and wrote (and colored) a generic compliment on it, such as, "You are an amazing artist" or "You are a great friend." After, these were collected and given sufficient quarantine before they posted to the SEL bulletin board. In the subsequent week, the elementary students selected one compliment from the board that best reinforced a strength they most needed to acquire.

Kudos to the Sunrise faculty and staff who organized this outstanding event and the Student Council students who hosted the stations. "The credit for the Walk," Dr. Foy shared, "goes to teachers Kelsey LaPort and Michelle Kearney. They came up with the idea. They were assisted by Keri Athan and Mary Pat Holler, who are our Student Council reps and organized the Student Council students to teach the stations. Last but not least, Amy Buckley, School Social Worker, assisted this endeavor every step along the way." 

It was an enjoyable and enlightening activity that made everyone definitely feel Sunrise Drive Strong!