LIMA, Ohio (WLIO) — Middle school students in Lima City Schools are learning the importance of taking care of both their physical and mental health through hands-on experiences at the district’s annual health fair.
The event, now in its third year, allows students to rotate through different stations focused on physical activity, emotional well-being, and mental health awareness.
One of the activities involved students running an obstacle course to observe the changes in their heart rate from resting to active. Alongside physical health, students also engaged in learning how to identify signs of depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues.
“We have all these different emotions, so we need to build a toolbox of how we can handle all the different emotions,” said Heather Allison, a school social worker. “And then for our physical health, we're looking at being active. So we look at their heart rate like a resting heart rate, and then we get them active, and then we do our heart rate again.”
Allison said the goal is for students to take what they learn and bring it back into the classroom to spark deeper conversations about wellness.
The event, now in its third year, allows students to rotate through different stations focused on physical activity, emotional well-being, and mental health awareness.
Organizers hope the fair helps students better understand how mental and physical health are connected — and how they can take proactive steps to support both.
