In the gymnasium at Giant City School, something remarkable happens every Wednesday that's turning heads across the education world. While students expect their usual 45-minute PE class, they discover something deeper—a unique fusion of physical activity and social-emotional learning that's changing how educators think about student wellness.

"When you look at health and wellness, there's so many aspects of it," explains Sarah Honza, who's been the K-8 PE teacher for 24 years. "It's not just your physical health—there are lots of different branches, and right now social-emotional learning is one of the most important branches of being a healthy, well-rounded person."

This innovative approach, known as "Wellness Wednesday," pairs Honza with school social worker Ashley Booth in her third year at Giant City. Together, they've created something virtually unheard of in elementary education—a systematic integration of mental health support into physical education that reaches every single student in the building.

The program emerged from necessity following COVID-19, when educators recognized students needed far more social-emotional support than traditional methods could provide. While most schools struggle to give their social workers adequate time with all students, Giant City's unique advantage—30-45 minutes of daily PE for every student from kindergarten through eighth grade—created an unprecedented opportunity.

"It has granted me, as the school social worker, the opportunity to reach all of the students, not just the students that I would normally meet based on services," Booth explains. "This creates an environment where I'm more accessible, more approachable. They get to see my personality in a different light."

Each Wednesday, the duo tackles age-appropriate social-emotional topics while incorporating physical activities that reinforce the lessons. Kindergarteners might explore friendship through team-building games, while eighth graders tackle resilience during challenging physical tasks. The program draws from multiple curricula—CATCH (a partnership with Southern Illinois Healthcare), Character Strong, and Second Step—ensuring comprehensive coverage of essential life skills.

"We talk about growth mindset for a kindergartner as 'what did you try that you were not good at that you were able to achieve,'" Booth explains. "We make challenges where we monitor growth over a month or six-week period." Last year's electric slide challenge perfectly exemplified this approach—the students were recorded attempting the dance at the beginning, practiced five minutes daily, and then celebrated their progress at the end.

The program's success extends far beyond Wednesday sessions. Students now approach Booth freely, leaving notes in her door basket or sending emails when they need support. The relationship-building that happens during Wellness Wednesday breaks down barriers that typically prevent students from seeking help.

"Some students that I see, you would never know that student would want to come and talk to me," Booth notes. "But I have fostered those relationships because I am in Wellness Wednesday."

Honza brings her own innovation to the partnership, recently securing a grant for "The Walking Classroom"—167 podcasts weaving character values into academic content while students walk and listen. Combined with the school's impressive range of lifetime fitness activities—pickleball, badminton, archery, roller skating—students discover that wellness comes in many forms.

The program's uniqueness isn't lost on education professionals. "When I go to different conferences and trainings, they're always amazed that we get to push in as a social worker into PE," Booth reports. Most schools limit social workers to classroom visits or individual sessions, but Giant City's model maximizes both reach and impact.

Perhaps most importantly, the program teaches students that physical and emotional health are interconnected. "Physical, emotional—it's all well-being," Booth emphasizes. "We're providing our students with tools that can last them a lifetime – not just jogging and other physical activities, but emotional well-being too.”

In an educational landscape often focused on test scores, Giant City's Wellness Wednesday reminds us that the most innovative solutions often come from educators brave enough to break down traditional silos and work together.