As students, parents, and teachers prepare to return for another school year, holistic, school-based wellness organization Brain Power Wellness reviews its full list of successful summer retreats.
FOREST HILLS, N.Y., Sept. 14, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — As many gear up for the new school year, Brain Power Wellness reviews these past Summer months with gratitude and joy for all of the amazing summertime retreat activities the wellness organization hosted and all the opportunities they created to forge a deeper connection with school communities.
The wellness retreats were held in the natural beauty of the Catskill Mountains and benefited various members of our schools’ communities, including students, teachers, families, school principals, and community leaders. In addition, Brain Power Wellness (BPW) held the annual retreat for its own staff to reconnect and rejuvenate after the school year.
Here, BPW offers a peek into what these fun and experiential explorations looked like, beginning with the Brain Power Wellness Staff retreat, which kicked off the “retreat season” in late June.
Forty BPW staff members attended this three-day on and off-site retreat, which gave them the opportunity to connect, reflect, and find time to unpack their school year experiences while also allowing them to get to know each other better and play together.
“Since the retreat, it may be a coincidence, but I have been noticeably sleeping better,” one Brain Power Wellness staff member reflected. “In my professional life, I am being more open and looking for opportunities to strengthen my relationships with my co-workers so we can work better as a team to succeed.”
Also successful was the Executive Leadership Conference. This two-day conference was dedicated to school administrators, including principals, assistant principals, and superintendents.
In addition to allowing these administrators to connect with other school leaders, the conference gave them time to rejuvenate their energy. Since many school administrators are so focused on the various needs of their school communities during the hectic school year, this conference intentionally allows them to connect with nature while sharing their experiences with their peers and unwind after the school year ends.
“The Executive Leadership Conference was life-changing. It allowed me an opportunity to reflect on where I am and where I am going,” said Dr. Jackie Jones, the Deputy Superintendent of District 79. “Through the many activities, I learned how to take time out to breathe and reflect. … Every activity was enlightening and life-changing.”
The Gray Fellows Retreat for Principal Excellence is a program developed by two principals in coordination with CUNY’s Hunter College to help principals develop self-knowledge, a system to implement transformative change initiatives in their school communities, and support their school and community systems function interdependently.
Brain Power Wellness supports Gray Fellows in multiple ways, including hosting a one-week immersive retreat in July. The retreat helps participants prioritize taking the time to embody and practice Social Emotional Learning (SEL) and mindfulness for themselves, with the goal of developing healthy habits that they can incorporate into their daily lives upon returning home.
The Advanced Student Leadership Program took place at the end of July, as it does every summer. It is designed to take a select group of participants (who attended the Brain Power Wellness Student Leadership Program during the school year) to the next level. One to three leaders per school are chosen to be ASLP Ambassadors during this four-day workshop, which provides them with advanced tools with which to oversee their school’s student-led mindfulness, equity, and holistic wellness school-wide initiatives.
“Attending the Brain Power Student Leadership Program retreat …was a transformational week for myself. I took the opportunity to grow myself and guide the students through this journey from an empowerment aspect,” explained Marlon Skenandore, Community Leader for the Oneida Nation in Green Bay, WI.
“The most interesting aspects were the similarities between the Oneida Nation and Brain Power Wellness values, and the interconnectedness of healthy, strong individuals it promotes. The Oneida Nation promotes harnessing a strong inner fire, which is to say we are taking care of ourselves spiritually, mentally, and physically to keep our fire strong within ourselves. Brain Power techniques promote this within individuals. I see them as one of the conduits for healing in our Native Communities.”
Finally, BPW wrapped up its summer of retreats with the annual Family Retreat. This year was the 17th and largest gathering of BPW families to date, with more than 180 participants from schools throughout New York City, and was a very rich experience. Families were able to take the time to truly connect with each other through play, competitive games, team building at the ropes course, and participating in wellness activities and exercises. Each family made a commitment to each other and identified ways to connect with each other during the week when they returned home.
“The family retreat was amazing!” exclaimed Javier Ocampo of IS 254X and his family. “It was helpful to have sessions just for the adults and separately for the kids. This was a space where being vulnerable is enveloped in safety.”
To learn more about Brain Power Wellness retreats and the organization itself, please visit brainpowerwellness.com.
About Brain Power Wellness
Brain Power Wellness is a holistic, school-based wellness organization that supports healthier, happier, more focused school environments. The mission of Brain Power Wellness is to help transform the culture of its partner schools through self-development, mindfulness, community building, retreats, SEL, holistic wellness, and brain training for teachers, students, parents, and administrators.
Media Contact
Rebecca Wheaton, Brain Power Wellness, 718-275-8326, [email protected], https://www.brainpowerwellness.com/
SOURCE Brain Power Wellness
