Green Ribbon Week 2023

• SIGN partner agreement and TAKE the PLEDGE
  • Sign the PLEDGE, which can be found at the bottom of this post
  • Your name and the name of the organization will be posted on our website
• Inform everyone in your organization/school/town of the commitment to support #GreenRibbonWeek.  Send a memo, make an announcement, or share the press release.
• Post Green Ribbon Week logo on social media emphasizing the importance of preventative mental health practices for youth.
• Distribute newsletters, announcements, or the press release to your partners and ask them to TAKE the PLEDGE.
• Familiarize yourself with youth mental health (see resources in social media toolkit).
• Plan green outfits for the upcoming week, especially for SOLIDARITY DAY: Wednesday, September 20^th.

Focus on stress management though Breathe, Move and Connect.
We invite you to wear green all week because green is the color of hope and all positive things related to our well-being.

• Wear Green to symbolize hope and wellbeing
  Morning Affirmation: “I am here, and I matter”
  Wellness Announcement: Today, we BREATHE!
  • K-5
    • Deep breathing reduces stress. It calms your body and mind.
  • 6th grade and higher
    • Anxiety is a set of natural reactions developed by the body and the mind against a situation or stimulus that disturbs the individual. In daily language, anxiety is expressed as depression and distress. Deep breathing has been found to reduce anxiety. Studies have demonstrated that anxiety and depression reduce the quality of life by affecting us psychologically and socially. Deep breathing is an effective, inexpensive, easy, and safe method to reduce the level of anxiety and improve well being.
• 1 minute deep breathing at the start of each class.
  ADULTS: Create a listening jar where students can put any question they have.
  • Leave 5 minutes at the end of class so that students can ask you any questions. Wait until the student has fully finished talking before responding or offering advice.

• Wear Green
• Morning Affirmation: “I am doing the best that I can”
• Wellness Announcement: Today, we MOVE!
  • K-5
    • Stretching makes the body and mind flexible.
  • 6th grade and higher
    • Mental health is a combination of emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects our way of thinking, feeling, and acting. Maintaining good mental health is very important at every stage of life and physical activity can help our mental wellbeing. Research shows that stretching exercises can improve mental health which increases the productivity of and helps in achieving educational goals.
• 1 minute stretching at the start of each class.
  • ADULTS: Create a listening jar where students can put any question they have.
  • Leave 5 minutes at the end of class so that students can ask you any questions. Wait until the student has fully finished talking before responding or offering advice.

• DAY OF SOLIDARITY
• Wear Green
• Morning Affirmation: “I value myself and those around me”
• Wellness Announcement: Today, we CONNECT!
  • K-5
    • Doing things with others helps us develop close bonds and makes our community better.
    • Yoga helps us connect with ourselves and all the good around us.
  • 6th grade and higher
    • Yoga has been described as the science of self-realization because it aims to bring harmony to the mind and body. It is known to relax the body, promote immunity and prevent illnesses. Similarly, reading is good for the heart and mind. Reading is also a form of play that feeds curiosity and feeds on curiosity. Listening to stories tunes the ear and trains the mind to pay attention-and helps us feel better.
• Group activity: yoga or reading outside
• Post on social media; use hashtag #GreenRibbonWeek and tag @grassrootsfound
• Join GCF for IG live with Jacqueline Woodson, author of Harbor Me at 6:00 pm @grassrootsfound
  • ADULTS: Create a listening jar where students can put any question they have.
  • Leave 5 minutes at the end of class so that students can ask you any questions. Wait until the student has fully finished talking before responding or offering advice.

• Wear Green
• Morning Affirmation: “I am hopeful”
• Wellness Announcement: Today, we are spending more time BREATHING!
  • K-5
    • Meditation quiets the mind and helps us focus which helps us in our schoolwork and, it also helps us sleep better.
  • 6th grade and higher
    • Research shows that meditating at a regular time is a significant predictor of reducing psychological distress and enhancing the feeling of being balanced. People with a higher tendency to be mindful in general daily life have higher levels of well-being and lower emotional distress.
• 1-minute silent meditation at the start of each class.
  ADULTS: Create a listening jar where students can put any question they have.
• Leave 5 minutes at the end of class so that students can ask you any questions. Wait until the student has fully finished talking before responding or offering advice.

• Wear Green
• Morning Affirmation: “I am getting better and better each day”
• Wellness Announcement: It is our final day and today, we are going to spend time CONNECTING!
  • K-5
    • Connection helps us understand that we are not alone. We need each other to feel hopeful. Spending time together helps us become healthier and happier.
  • 6th grade and higher
    • People who feel more connected to others have lower levels of anxiety and depression. Studies show that connected people also have higher self-esteem, greater empathy for others, and are more cooperative. In other words, social connectedness generates a positive feedback loop of social, emotional, and physical well-being.
    • When we hold hands our bodies release oxytocin (a chemical) that calms us and helps de-stress. Similarly, humming promotes a meditative state that enables people to slow down and unwind. Humming also has calming vibrations that can lessen the signs of anxiety and despair. Humming’s rhythmic nature helps control breathing and heart rate, further fostering a sense of calm and emotional stability.
  • 1-minute of “hand holding and humming” at the start of each class.
  • ADULTS and YOUTH: Leave 10 minutes at the end of class to reflect on what you have learned this week and what you will practice going forward. How can each of us practice mental wellness? How can we make this a part of the school system?

Celebration

• Best Listener Prize: Vote for teacher who listens the best.
• Prize: A gift box of Parent Like It Matters
• If resources are available, hold a daily vote for the best dressed in green.

Institutionalizing Youth Mental Health

• Sign the letter of support for having Mental Wellness Days in New Jersey Schools.