When people think of health, exercise and good nutritious food come to mind.  But one very important aspect of healthy living which is often overlooked is mental health.  This week when Healthwise Week came along, we decided to incorporate a 'Sunshine Day' - a day of colour and fun (i.e. not words usually associated with your typical school day!). The day was used to raise awareness for the importance of being happy and content mentally and not just physically. Schoolwork can sometimes signal stress and worry, but it doesn’t have to be all that bad.

The Student Council came up with a great way to relieve tension with balloons.  Each student wrote a word which worried or stressed them out (examples included illness, spiders and wasps) on a colourful balloon, which they then blew up.  On the signal of the countdown over the intercom, every student in the school burst her balloon.  What better way to let your worries go than to let them go away with a bang!

The day was jam packed with activities including a highly contested tug of war (a spot of friendly competition is healthy!) and an energetic session of Zumba!  Throughout the day jokes were made over the intercom which helped brighten the day for both students and teachers and brought with it many laughs!  The school was also dotted with a touch of colour as students wore bright socks with their uniforms!

Thanks to all of the teachers and students involved in organising this very successful sunshine day, it was an enjoyable and uplifting experience for all!

Report by Suzanne Wai.   Photographs by Lorna Ryan.