Lawrenceville Celebrates First Community Wellness Day

Lawrentians could not have ordered up a more beautiful day for the School’s first Community Wellness Day, created by Lawrenceville’s Counseling Department. Blue skies, sunshine, and temperatures in the mid-70s greeted students on April 12 as they spread across campus for a series of wellness workshops led by outside and campus experts.

Head of School Steve Murray kicked off Community Wellness Day, noting that it was important for students to “take a mindful and deliberate break today” and reminding them to reach out to the School’s Counseling Department at any time they feel in need of assistance. Tonita Balcom (Director of Counseling and Psychological Services) encouraged Lawrentians to make mental health a priority every day. The day’s keynote address was provided by mental health professionals Shaelene Lauriano Kite, Aliana Cara, and Ashlee Maruca, who offered concrete skills /practices to regulate emotions, tips to recognize someone in need of assistance, and ways to normalize conversations about mental health.

Following the keynote, Lawrentians chose from hour-long sessions on a variety of techniques to improve and strengthen personal health and wellness, including meditation, art, drum circles, bird watching, nature walks, yoga, cooking, biking, music, skating, and more.  

One of the workshops, “Listening as a Creative Act,” is part of a music listening series curated by the Hutchins Institute for Social Justice. Led by the Institute’s Director, Zaheer Ali, the workshops provide space for the creative and intentional listening to music as a way to explore identities, share histories, build community, and expand our imaginations. A playlist created by Ali and workshop attendees,  “Wellbeing,” can be enjoyed on Spotify.

Watch the 2023 Lawrenceville School Community Wellness Day video on our YouTube channel. See more photos from the day's activities on the School's Flickr page. 

For additional information, contact Lisa M. Gillard H'17, director of public relations, at lgillard@lawrenceville.org.