Student health fair focuses on physical and mental health

Karen Reinbolt, an aerobics instructor from the Buck Run Center in Fort Scott, gets students moving during a class meant to stress the importance of regular exercise. Below right, Aiden Stark chills out by blowing bubbles. Southeast Kansas Mental Health Center staff member Shelly Kelly told students it was a good way to avoid trouble.(Roger Sims/Linn County Journal)

Students at Jayhawk-Linn junior and senior high schools attended a Holiday Health Fair during school hours on Friday, Jan. 13. Senior high students attended workshops and activities during the morning and junior high students took the afternoon.

Originally set for the week before the winter holiday break, the fair was moved to January after the school was forced to shut down for a couple days.

The workshops included physical fitness and mental health, activities included corn hole games, riding a pedal cart and walking with goggles simulating various stages of being high on alcohol or drugs, and making (and drinking) healthy fruit smoothies.

A kiosk sponsored by the Linn County Health Department from the Kaufmann Foundation also gave information on such subjects as vaping and drug use in graphic detail.

Mental health presenters covered a wide range of topics including suicide awareness, drug awareness, and stress relief.

Christa Holt and other Jayhawk staff helped organize the event.

Wearing goggles that simulate drunkenness, Carlie Brown slowly weaves a peda-powered go-cart through obstacles. (Roger Sims/Linn County Journal)