Lifting the Community

On Oct. 25, numerous FLASHP-member school districts embarked on “Lifting the School Community,” a seven-week program affiliated with The Lift Project. Faculty, staff, families and members of the community were invited to participate in the program, which is intended to improve mental and physical well-being through different aspects of wellness.

Participants engaged in a seven-week series of challenges with the goal of building community connections with others and spreading the positive lessons learned each week through lessons available to them via presentations on The Lift Project’s FLASHP internet portal. The initiative drew 2,329 registrants and 3,078 participants.

The Lift Project, created in 2018, is an evidence-based program that explores seven topics designed to help individuals, groups and organizations thrive and flourish, according to founder Darren Morton. The content of the lessons is derived from neuroscience, positive psychology and lifestyle medicine.

“When we created the lift project three years ago, the world was a very different place,” Morton says. “At the time, our intent was to create an educational adventure to help people thrive; but today, more of us are concerned with just surviving.”

The science-based strategies are effective for not only helping people to live their best lives, they also form a survival tool kit that can help build resilience and get them through tough times, he explains.

“The point is, regardless of where you’re at in life, The Lift Project can help,” he adds.

Morton’s wellness philosophy is based in a positive approach and features “upbeat and fun presentations.”

“We’re not going to be dwelling on all that’s wrong with the world,” he says in a video introducing the project to FLASHP participants. “Instead, I’m going to be pointing to constructive things we can do to keep going through tough times, and even help lift you higher during good times.”

Morton emphasizes the project’s scientific basis, and says peer review studies have indicated people who engage in The Lift Project experience significant improvements in mental health and well-being, regardless of how high or low they are on the mental health ladder.

He also stresses that the program’s value for a person depends on what they’re willing to put into it.

“For it to be transformational you need to not learn the content, but experience it,” he says. “Each lesson has challenges for putting the learning into practice. It’s challenge-by-choice, but the more you put in the more you’re going to get out.”

The Lift Project is appropriate for people of all ages, so it makes for a great family initiative, Morton says. He also touts the value of interconnectedness, and days doing the program with friend or support group can enhance the experience.

According to more than 300 teachers worldwide who have completed the program, 86% said the Lift Project was likely to have a positive long-term impact on their well-being and 92% said they would recommend it to a friend.

Those results are what FLASHP is hoping comes from “Lifting the School Community.”

Bloomfield

“It sounded interesting and it seemed relevant after a year and a half of a pandemic,” says wellness coordinator Gretchen Fisher. “It really is a small Lift that can make a difference for people that chose to participate.”

Caledonia-Mumford

The Lift Project has helped district wellness coordinator Sarah Santora.

“I completed it in 2020 during the pandemic and I’m completely sold on its value and ability to enhance our well-being,” Santora says.

Activities were aligned with one or more chapters of The Lift Project. Santora had already implemented activities inspired by the project’s themes.

“In September we celebrated National Family Day,” she says. “This is one of the Lift Project themes, ‘Together is Better,’” she said. “We had the staff send us a family photo of them having fun. We randomly chose three employees to receive a Wegmans gift card. We printed all the photos and made poster collages of our “Raider Family” and hung them in our schools.”

Dansville

“I think mental health and burnout is a huge concern in the teaching profession, especially after the last couple of years,” said wellness coordinator Katie Bancroft.

Bancroft thinks the project will help teachers, their families and the rest of the community. She is hopeful the program brings on a more positive mindset in the participants as well as strengthening their relationships on an individual as well as community level.

Dundee

“I decided to embark on this initiative to help the district staff and surrounding communities realign mentally and physically,” says wellness coordinator Shelby DeMitry. “The past year-and-a-half have been extremely challenging for many, especially with the disruption to a normal lifestyle. This is a great time for everyone to focus on themselves and live a better life.”

Prior to the start of the program there was a high level of interest among the staff. For some of the activities planned there will be prizes awarded, including gift cards to Wegmans.

“I am hoping that all who are involved reach a status of contentment and are able to feel better about themselves at the end of seven weeks,” DeMitry says.

Livonia

“We are always looking for ways to help our school community members make their health and wellness a priority,” said wellness co-coordinator Nicole McGarry. “We all know that it is important to take care of yourself, mentally and physically, but we don’t always make ourselves a priority. This is a great opportunity to encourage our school community to make time to learn ways to lift themselves up, and to also lift each other up by sharing the practical strategies they are learning about through the Lift Project.”

Marcus Whitman

There were a series of weekly challenges that aligned with the focus of that week’s lesson, with the goal of building community connections with others and to spread the positive lessons learned each week. Activities planned include kickball games for staff, gift exchanges, and snowshoeing at Cumming Nature Center.

“I believe personal wellness starts from a mindset and from within,” says wellness coordinator Jen Allen. “It has to be something you are committed to, dedicated to and passionate about. I can’t stress enough how important it is to take time for yourself in order to be your best self for others.”

Allen is hopeful the Lift Project helps further connect the community and offer some stress relief to the participants.

Palmyra-Macedon

Depending on the success of the first run, there may be more offerings in 2022.

There is a Facebook group for participants to reflect on the weekly lessons and to advertise for the community events.

District Lift Project co-coordinator Kim Stewart is the district’s community outreach coordinator and a former school psychologist.

“Mental health and working with families are priorities for me,” Stewart says. “I completed the program last year and feel many will benefit from these lessons.

“It is a doable program and takes little time to complete. The lessons are short but there are additional resources if someone wants to dive deeper. The lessons are fun, relatable and not too heavy.”

Red Jacket

Activities offered include a nature trail walk, virtual yoga classes and toy drive.

“This will be my third time participating,” says wellness coordinator Marissa Baughman. “The lessons make you think about certain topics you wouldn’t necessarily think about in your day-to-day life. I hope this will help improve everyone’s overall well-being and maybe help them look at some things with a different perspective.”

Seneca Falls

Events include ice skating, outings to movies and a cooking class.

“I took The Lift Project last year, it definitely helped me through the pandemic and the roller coaster of emotions that it brought to me,” says wellness coordinator Amanda Fleig. “I took The Lift Project coordinator position because everyone is in need of ‘lifting.’ Emotions of not only adults but students are not stable. If I can help just one person with their emotions, I feel like I have done my job.”

Wayland-Cohocton

This was wellness coordinator Rich Miller’s first time participating in the program. He is hopeful it provides participants help for better managing mental and emotional states.

Wayne Finger Lakes BOCES

Wellness coordinator Jen Meehan focused on activities that were low-cost or free, to remove financial barriers for participants. Activities included journaling and group walks.

“I’ve heard great things about the outcomes from the last Lift Project initiative and wanted the same opportunity for myself and co-workers,” Meehan says. “It is more important than ever to find ways ‘to lift the school community’ so that we can continue to show up for our students, coworkers and our own families.”

Wayne

Events included hiking, renting out a movie theater and community service projects.

“I decided to lead this initiative because I believe in positive change, meditation and reducing stress,” says wellness coordinator Nan Coro. “I have taken quite a few classes, including a six-week stress reduction mindfulness class, and I see the change it made in myself. I want to give others the chance to experience that change, to be better.”

Williamson

In addition to the events that coincided with each week’s lesson, there was a community event on Nov. 13 that featured participants embarking on a scavenger hunt to businesses and farms, while cleaning up trash along the way.

Wellness coordinator Cathie Abdunnasir is one of the Lift Project’s top advocates in the district.

“I was fortunate to have been offered an opportunity to take the full 10-week course when our district was in COVID lockdown,” Abdunnasir says. “We hope that by participating in the “Lifting the School Community” project, participants will walk away with a feeling of rejuvenation, togetherness, community spirit and hopefulness that indeed we are more similar than different.”