On Wednesday, students at Ludlow's Black River High School and Middle School will be practicing yoga, learning to cook, playing board games, making art, and learning massage techniques. If it sounds like a relaxing day, that's exactly the point. It's being called Life is Good Day, and in a letter home to parents, Principal James Frail said the idea is to help kids learn how to cope with stress.
The rhythm of life is full of peaks and valleys. We all must learn to respond to them in ways that bring out our best. This is why we have set aside a day to teach students healthy skills for relaxation and stress management. There has been a lot in the news lately about the burgeoning problems of serious drug addiction among young people in our communities. Teens are particularly vulnerable to using drugs and other self-destructive behaviors as a response to stress because they often have undeveloped skills for regulating their emotions, responsibilities and relationships. So, we hope to make Life Is Good day on January 29th a time when the whole Black River community can engage in a spirit of healthy experimentation and growth!
Students will hear a keynote address by artist Lida Winfield, who uses storytelling and dance to tell of her personal experiences as a special education student. The snow date for Life is Good Day is Feb.5.
