
‘Amber Flag Walk in My Shoes’
On Tuesday the 4th of November, our whole school went on a walk together as an activity to mark Health Week in our school. This was to promote mental and physical health awareness. The walking activity was called ‘Walk in My Shoes’. Everyone was asked to wear two different shoes or swap shoes with somebody else on the day, so that you could wear odd shoes while participating in the walk. This experience was to show what it is like to walk in somebody else’s shoes and imagine a life outside your own.
We walked up Military Hill, turned left down past the Barracks, walked down Patrick’s Hill and returned to school on Wellington Road. The Amber Flag Team also organised a special survey to highlight the importance of physical health to maintain a positive mental health. As each student and teacher entered the school in the morning, they were asked to rate their mood through coloured counters. There was Red=low mood, low energy, stressed: Blue = neutral, so-so: Green = energised, happy, focused and Yellow = ecstatic, high energy, good mood. Also, after the walk each student was asked again to rate their mood using the same coloured counters. The results have shown: 21% increase for Yellow-ecstatic, 16% increase for Green-happy, 28% decrease for Blue-neutral and 7% decrease for Red-low mood or low energy. Altogether, the 2 positive emotions increased and the 2 negative emotions decreased. As a result of our walk and survey activity, we have proven that physical exercise improves mental health. So keep active!
Megan Smith 3rd Year
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