Skywell Club partners with U-M fitness program to create virtual fitness breaks

‘Sixty Seconds with SkyWell’ videos are intended to get staff and students up and moving during breaks.

Physical activity is one of the most effective ways to promote mental and physical well-being, and most importantly in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, bolster a strong immune system.

That’s why SkyWell Club at Skyline High School is planning its 7th annual wellness expo for 2021, and one of its key community partners, the University of Michigan School of Kinesiology, has just made things more interesting.

With funding from InPACT@Home, a State of Michigan initiative to make physical activity more accessible to students state-wide, participating partners will reach 1.5 million K-12 students in the State of Michigan this year with a variety of exercise at home opportunities.

Skyline senior Alison Marshall, who narrates the video above, noted that the activites don’t require a lot of space or equipment, so they are perfect to do at home.

“I wanted to participate in this project,” said Alison, “because with sports and after school activities being canceled, I know many students do not have the same exposure to physical fitness that they have had in the past. I am really passionate about fitness, so I was excited to be able to have an opportunity to share some ways for students to stay active! I think it is a great project because it is geared specifically towards high school students and it will really engage them.”

As part of this program, SkyWell has received funding to create and promote 52 one-minute fitness videos for high school students and teachers, to create a reason to break during virtual classrooms and stay physically active.

Called “60 Seconds With SkyWell,” these fitness videos will be offered to Skyline students and staff this year while virtual classroom learning is in session; and then with partners, will be rolled out to students across the state.

“Many students who aren’t involved in sports also need a healthy outlet to stay physically fit,” says Skyline senior student Alison Marshall, who coordinates the project with the SkyWell Club as part of her Health and Bio-Medical Science Medicine magnet program. “Sixty Seconds with SkyWell will hopefully inspire students to take a break and move more.”

SkyWell Club, launched in 2014, is a student-led wellness initiative at Ann Arbor Skyline High School. SkyWell has received funding for four consecutive years to promote safe driving and has also received two awards for achievement in wellness programs. Each year, students identify priority topics and launch activities that are available to the entire student body.

“SkyWell has offered many programs and awareness campaigns to students in the past – including stress and sleep, safe driving, walkathons, and healthy vending machines,” SkyWell Community Advisor Lori Kintz added. “This year, our focus on physical and mental well-being comes at a time when stress levels are higher, and students need a break from their computer screens. We think it’s the perfect time for this kind of outreach.”