Spirituality & Wellness Program

Prayer for Transition and Change

Mighty Everlasting Father

everything is changing around me,

oh God: my life, my circumstances and

even the world.

Oh Lord, my God, help me to not fear

this change, allow me to embrace it

as I embrace You daily.

Give me strength

to rise above every situation and

overcome the darkness

AMHS students Keyshawn Rife and Daniel Jenkins were some of the young people to lead 150-200 students during multiple peaceful protests in Mill Creek this week Read more.

How to handle talking with kids about Racism and Violence via Child Mind Institute

As the nation mourns the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and other black Americans, images of unrest fill our screens. Discussions of racism and violence dominate the national conversation—and the conversations we're having at home. Children are listening, and they may be scared, angry or confused about what's going on, while parents (many of whom are struggling to manage our own emotions) are wondering how to help.

Talking to kids about racism and violence is difficult, but it's also necessary—both now and as children grow up. Read more on how to approach this subject here.

10 Steps to Non-Optical Allyship via Mireille Cassandra Harper (via @MireilleCHarper)

1. Understand what Non-Optical Allyship is—do not just do the bare minimum to "show face" and to show support, but to deeply perform support by continuously going beneath the surface, building trust, standing up, and defeating racism and oppression.
2. Check in on your black friends, family, partners, loved ones, and colleagues—ask how you can provide support during this traumatic time in the community.
3. Be prepared to do the work and have uncomfortable conversations—Understand that coming to terms with privilege will not be a pretty or fun experience. Feelings of guilt, shame, and anger will happen throughout the process.
4. Read up on antiracist works.
5. Avoid sharing content which is traumatic—this can be dehumanizing and triggering for many people of color.
6. Donate to funds and support initiatives—Consider supporting platforms and initiatives which support People of color (see below).
7. Do not center the narrative around yourself.
8. Keep supporting after the outrage and attention is gone.
9. Stop supporting organizations that promote hate.
10. Start your long-term strategy—Can you mentor a young person? Can you become a trustee for an organization that supports POC communities? Could you offer your time to volunteer? Can you donate consistently? Make an EFFORT to do something valuable over a long term period.

Dear AMHS Community,

As we have watched news reports over the past several days, we have felt a tremendous sense of shock and sadness at the injustice of George Floyd's death. With tensions increasing at the local and national level, we are praying for our community. In particular, we are praying for our students' spiritual, mental, and physical well-being in these challenging times that understandably are evoking a range of powerful emotions.

It has taken us several days just to collect our own thoughts and gather our words. Being middle-aged white school leaders, we found ourselves afraid of saying the wrong thing and causing further hurt. While this moment is painful for us too, we can't imagine how it may feel to be a person of color, let alone a high school student of color, experiencing these events. While we fear that our words may fall short in this moment, we also feel compelled to reach out to the AMHS community and firmly condemn injustice and racism in any form—we wish to instead affirm the AMHS mission and our commitment to diversity as a school community.

Our mission states that we "value diversity" and strive for "Christlike leadership in the transformation of the world." For us, that starts with valuing the humanity and worth of all people. As former Social Studies and English teachers, you will often find us making connections to history or literature in trying to make sense of our world. Interestingly, we both called to mind Elie Wiesel (1928-2016), survivor of the Nazi Holocaust, interred with his family at the Auschwitz extermination camp in Poland in 1944. His account of these events were chronicled in his book, Night and he was later invited to speak at the White House amidst the violence and bloodshed in Kosovo. His speech, "The Perils of Indifference," reflected on the turmoil of the 20th Century and offered lessons for the years that followed:

"To be indifferent to suffering is what makes the human being inhuman. Indifference, after all, is more dangerous than anger and hatred. Anger can at times be creative. One writes a great poem, a great symphony, one does something special for the sake of humanity because one is angry at the injustice that one witnesses. But indifference is never creative. Even hatred at times may elicit a response. You fight it. You denounce it. You disarm it. Indifference elicits no response. Indifference is not a response.

Indifference is not a beginning, it is an end. And, therefore, indifference is always the friend of the enemy, for it benefits the aggressor —never his victim, whose pain is magnified when he or she feels forgotten. The political prisoner in his cell, the hungry children, the homeless refugees—not to respond to their plight, not to relieve their solitude by offering them a spark of hope is to exile them from human memory. And in denying their humanity we betray our own.

Indifference, then, is not only a sin, it is a punishment. And this is one of the most important lessons of this outgoing century's wide-ranging experiments in good and evil."

–Elie Wiesel - April 12, 1999

While living the AMHS mission starts with valuing the worth and humanity of all people, that is not where it ends. Putting our beliefs into action also depends on a commitment to continuous learning and growth. Last school year, we brought in outside cultural competency trainers, who provided professional development on-site for AMHS faculty and staff. This past December for the first time ever, AMHS participated in the People of Color Conference, by sending four faculty members to this prestigious national conference with a rich history of over 30 years of creating a "safe space for leadership, professional development, and networking for people of color and allies of all backgrounds in independent schools."

However, we recognize that our work needs to be ongoing and intentional—an anti-racist curriculum does not emerge accidentally or from attending one conference. We want to affirm our commitment at AMHS to continued professional growth and bringing high quality experiences to our students.

Prior to the school closure, in February we invited Diversity, Equity, and Inclusive Leadership Consultant, Kisha Xiomara Palmer to visit AMHS. She helped provide insight into professional learning opportunities. Shortly after the school closure, we were grateful to receive an $11,500 grant from the Fulcrum Foundation to support professional development moving forward. In March, we spoke with leadership of the Anti-Defamation League to gather information about school programming and training for students. Throughout our school closure, faculty advisors have continued to meet virtually with the AMHS Leaders of Change student group.

Needless to say, we believe that valuing diversity is not a "one-stop-shop" and no training (no matter how powerful) can serve as a "diversity inoculation" that instantly cures all institutional issues. But, we have to start somewhere—and, we are building momentum around sustaining the ongoing work required of an organization that values diversity, equity, and inclusion.

In Archbishop Etienne's recent Statement on Racism, he reminds us that as Catholics "We cannot stand by and not respond to incidents of racism and inhuman treatment of our black brothers and sisters, or anyone else." At this time, AMHS will not simply stand by; instead, we commit to continuous growth as an organization.

While we struggled to find the right words, we realized that words are not enough. Instead, this is our commitment to stand against indifference and beside all people of color. We pray for the AMHS community and hold on to the joy and hope of a better future for our students by seeking to both learn and teach love and understanding for all.

Sincerely,

PARENT RESOURCES

Mental Health and Resilience During COVID-19

Please check out this great webinar for parents and caregivers via Crisis and Trauma Resource institute: Mental Health and Resilience During COVID-19

A parent's Guide to Reopening: Managing Teens

Getting teens to take safety seriously can be a struggle at the best of times, but right now it's more important than ever. As coronavirus restrictions are eased and teens start getting together with friends, how can we ensure they're being safe? Read Child Mind's institute guide for parents on easing restrictions with a teenager during the coronavirus pandemic here.

STUDENT RESOURCES

Use this one moment in the morning to set the rest of your day via Competetocreate.net:

1. Wake up and turn off your alarm. SET THE PHONE DOWN

2. Take one deep breath, focusing on a long exhale.

3. Take a minute to think and feel about something you're grateful for.

4. Set an intention for the day. What do you want to be about today? (Not WHAT you are going to do, but HOW you want to show up)

5. Get out of bed and just feel your feet on the floor.

Read more on Compete to Create here.

Having some screen stress? Use the 20-20-20 Rule:

When following the rule, a person takes a 20-second break from looking at a screen every 20 minutes. During the break, the person focuses on an object 20 feet away, which relaxes the eye muscles.

The following methods can help a person to put this rule into practice:

• Set an alarm for every 20 minutes while working, as a reminder to take a break.
• Download an app developed to help people follow the 20-20-20 rule. The ProtectYourVision and eyeCare apps are some examples.
• Look out a window during the 20-second breaks. Judging a distance of 20 feet inside can be difficult, but focusing on a tree or lamppost across the street should work well.

To read more on the efficacy of this destressing strategy, check out Medical News Today.

If you missed the senior awards assembly and slideshow, here are the links to the videos: Senior Awards Assembly // Senior Slideshow

Need to connect?

Times are extremely challenging and we all are required to adapt to quite a bit of change all at once. The counseling team at AMHS is here to support all students. We are currently working with individual students to assist with the transition to online learning, create channels to socially connect and to continue developing plans and goals for life beyond high school. If you would like to meet with your counselor, please contact them via email to schedule a video meeting (Zoom or Google Meets).

Counselors will continue to provide information through the AMHS Announce, the Wednesday Wellness Newsletter and the Daily Bulletin.

Self Wellness Check:

Use the Wellness wheel below to check your wellness status! Reach out to counseling or anyone in the wellness team to talk over your results!

The Dimensions of Health

Physical Health: Living an active lifestyle and taking care of my body!

Mental Health: Learning how to handle my stress.

Emotional Health: Being able to understand and express my feelings.

Social Health: Being able to make and keep friends. Learning how to handle social conflict.

Spiritual Health: Understanding what is right and wrong. Creating a purpose and meaning to my life.

Intellectual Health: Having a love for learning. Knowing that I can work to achieve anything!

Environmental Health: Understanding that I have a responsibility to protect the planet because there is a 2-way relationship.

Financial Health: Understanding how to build financial security

30 Days of Kindness

One of the best methods of service, care of others, and self care is the practice of kindness. CharacterStrong has started a 30 Day Kindness Challenge that takes just 5 minutes a day to complete. Lets help in spreading kindness during this challenging time with simple reflective actions each day to improve mood, mindset, and most importantly KINDNESS to ourselves and others

Days 16-20:

Day 16 // Day 17 // Day 18 // Day 19 // Day 20

STUDENT RESOURCES

One of the best methods of service, care of others, and self care is the practice of kindness. CharacterStrong has started a 30 Day Kindness Challenge that takes just 5 minutes a day to complete. Lets help in spreading kindness during this challenging time with simple reflective actions each day to improve mood, mindset, and most importantly KINDNESS to ourselves and others

Track your progress sheet

Journal: Days 6-10

Videos: Day 6 // Day 7 // Day 8 // Day 9 // Day 10

Share or follow along with others! Share to the ASB instagram stories for each day and help spread kindness!

FAMILY RESOURCES

Practice Trauma Informed Care during COVID 19 Outbreak

MIND: Mental Health Resources

Coloring Pages

Why coloring is beneficial

Sudoku

8 Ideas for Teachers and Students at Home

1. Write a Letter

I learned at a young age from my Grandparents how important handwritten letters are. It shows that you care, that you were willing to take time out of your day to share moments/thoughts with someone not physically there. It gives so much more meaning than a phone call or text.

Think about it…how excited do you get when you get mail in the mailbox. Brighten someone's day. I suggest writing to someone that has made a big impact on your life; mentor, coach, teacher, boss, teammate, etc. and let them know!

2. Take a Walk Outside -Take a Family Member

Fresh air has so many benefits from strengthening your immune system, increasing blood flow, decreasing heart rate, to more energy, and just flat out makes you happier. So grab a family member and take a walk outside. Time to talk or just be with family is great to build that social connection.

I suggest first thing in the morning to help you get woken up or after lunch or dinner to help with digestion. Other options are to listen to a podcast or calming music during your walk. Or even maybe think about no cell phone or music, just be present.

3. Time With Your Pet

You don't have to try and convince me of the benefits of animals, especially to mental health. If you have a pet, spend time with them and only them no distraction of technology. Pet, play, or walk with them; it's all they want time-with their human. It will make them feel loved, all while increasing endorphins and lowering your heart rate. If you do not have a pet, visit a shelter, and volunteer.

4. Breathwork – Meditation

This is an overlooked mind-body practice. Proper breathwork lowers stress and anxiety while getting you more in touch with yourself. Sit in a quiet space with no one else.

Then you have a couple of options; you could turn on a self-guided meditation from YouTube or an App like Calm. Or just lay or sit in silence and focus on your breath. You'll want to focus on 5 seconds of inhaling, 5 seconds of exhaling with that breath coming from your belly.

More Mindfulness resources from this week's focus article, provided by PLT4M can be found here

SPIRITUAL RESOURCES

Holy Week is a pivotal time for Christians everywhere. During this week, we are drawn to deeply contemplate Jesus' salvific act of dying for our sins. Holy Week ends with the Triduum, three of the holiest days for Christians. Holy Thursday, the day we remember Jesus' celebration of the Eucharist and act of service by washing the feet of his disciples. Good Friday, the day we remember and reflect on Jesus' death, leading to a period of waiting during which we prepare ourselves for what the Resurrection will bring us. Easter Sunday, the day we celebrate Christ's rising from the dead and the opportunity for a new life for all.

Campus Ministry has compiled some resources to help our community navigate this Holy Week and enter into the Triduum in a sacred space. Please engage these resources individually or together as a family.

We hope you have a sacred Holy Week and a very Happy Easter!

Triduum Resources:

Get to Know the Triduum (Infographic)

Triduum Traditions

Triduum Journal

STUDENT RESOURCES

One of the best methods of service, care of others, and self care is the practice of kindness. CharacterStrong has started a 30 Day Kindness Challenge that takes just five minutes a day to complete. Let's help in spreading kindness during this challenging time with simple reflective actions each day to improve mood, mindset, and most importantly KINDNESS to ourselves and others.

Journal: Days 1-5

Videos: Day 1 // Day 2 // Day 3 // Day 4 // Day 5

Share or follow along with others! Share to the ASB instagram stories for each day and help spread kindness!

FAMILY RESOURCES

What we might say to a childs/teen's COVID-19 disappointments from Developing Minds Foundation

• Try to ask a question or two before you respond to a child/teen's concerns – you may be able to get more information about exactly what they are worried about and therefore answer more helpfully.
• Express care and sympathy rather than entirely dismissing all of their concerns.
• Answer with a matter of fact, calm and confident voice and facial expression. If you can't do that, step away and say "I think I might just need some adult time for a moment, and I will come and talk to you again in a few minutes." Then take some time to talk to a friend/family member/take a deep breath and look after yourself. Then come back to your child/teen and provide some answers.
• Remember if children/young people continue asking lots of questions which you have gone over with them before, it's okay to put some limits on the time you spend talking about it with them.

Further advice can be found here.

Help your loved ones going through a tough time during COVID-19

MIND: Mental Health Resources

Apps for Support:

Mind Shift: Mind Shift is designed specifically for teens and young adults with anxiety. Rather than trying to avoid anxious feelings, Mind Shift stresses the importance of changing how you think about anxiety

Calm: This is a mindfulness app that helps with relaxation and meditation.

BODY

Caring for Yourself During Social Distancing