Breathing Techniques From Our GEM Curriculum
Alternate Nostril Breathing
This breathing technique is best practiced in a seated pose like crisscross
applesauce so you may find a space on the floor next to you to sit.
This breathing technique has us cover one nostril at a time, alternating which nostril is
covered as we breathe in and out.
Let’s start by first covering our right nostril.
INHALE through the left nostril until your chest is full
SWITCH sides by covering your left nostril, and
EXHALE through your right nostril
INHALE through your right nostril until your chest is full
SWITCH sides by covering your right nostril, and
EXHALE through your left nostril
REPEAT!
This type of breathing promotes a calm mind and relaxed body.
Cannabis Studies
Research has shown…
A study was conducted on 16 heavy cannabis users with no previous diagnosis of mental health or addiction of any kind. This group was abstinent of all drugs for at least 4 weeks before evaluating their memory. Long term cannabis users are at an increased risk of experiencing memory errors even when abstinent and drug free.
May is Physical Fitness Awareness Month
Get out there and Plog 🚶🏼♀️
&
don’t forget to send us a picture with the amount of trash you picked up!
Dover Youth Committee Update
The Dover Youth Committee (DYC) partnered with the Boys and Girls Club of Delaware
and Network Connect to support mental health for youth.
Over Spring Break, the youth of the Boys and Girls Club were filmed discussing how they could support their mental health with items from the Network Connect’s “R.A.C.E. kits”. R.A.C.E.
stands for “Reversing the effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences”.
The youth discussed healing activities, or creative practices which promote healing, wellness, and
self-care. These included mentorship with a trusted adult or materials like fidget spinners
to help them relax.
These videos will be compiled by the media director at the Boys and
Girls Club and posted on social media for May, which coincides with Mental Health
Awareness Month.
Watch for social media posts regarding the mental health awareness videos!
Dover Youth Committee’s second community dinner was held on April 30th and included
partnerships with DEMCO, NeighborGood Partners, and the Food Bank of Delaware.
The menu included vegetable lasagna, made in part with fresh harvested
vegetables from the Food Bank. Guests participated in a mental well-being activity and
enjoyed the shared community space.
The next dinner is planned for the fall and is free to the community requiring advanced registration/ reservation.
Open group meetings to like-minded partners and interested youth in the Dover area
The next DYC
full committee meeting is Thursday, May 9th at Noon at the Dover Library.
Contact doveryouthde@gmail.com to be added to the email list.
Get involved with the Dover Youth Committee
National Prevention Week is a public education platform showcasing the work of communities and organizations across the country that are preventing substance use and promoting positive mental health.
This year, National Prevention Week is taking place from May 12-18, 2024! Learn more about how you can get involved throughout the week and register for the events taking place. You can help amplify the power of prevention leading up to National Prevention Week and beyond by sharing your #MyPreventionStory on social media, downloading our planning toolkit, and spreading the word about National Prevention Week.
Health & Wellness Ambassadors: Now Registering!
What are Health & Wellness Ambassadors?
Delaware 4-H Health & Wellness Ambassadors are official representatives and promoters of holistic healthy living, including fitness, nutrition, mindfulness and substance use prevention.
Ultimate Goals of Health & Wellness Ambassadors:
Learn about and promote healthy lifestyle choices
Create media about healthy living
Community outreach & education
Asset building, education, and promotion
Create and facilitate community change
Who should join?
Teens ages 13-18 interested in cultivating skills of health, wellness, and leading a healthy lifestyle! If you are looking for a way to gain professional or volunteer experience in health and wellness, this is for you!
What does becoming a Health and Wellness Ambassador Entail?
Through registration you will be able to receive information on opportunities to get involved with promoting health and wellness in the Delaware community and register for our next training!
Our next meeting is Thursday, May 23, 2024 from 6- 7 pm via Zoom. We hope to see you there!
The STEAM Team is here to provide lessons, activities, curriculum support for Delaware teachers, leaders, afterschool programs and 4-H communities. Our overall goal is to teach youth leadership skills and STEAM-themed topics to bring back to their communities.
BECOME A STEAM AMBASSADOR
Joining the STEAM Team means you are a youth interested in becoming a STEAM Ambassador—learning STEAM-themed lessons to take back to your youth group, school or community. You, the “STEAM Ambassador,” will lead by teaching a STEAM-based lesson/activity to others!
Twila is your point of contact. She will guide you through becoming a STEAM Ambassador. Get you set up with lesson topics and materials and guide you through the process of taking on the role of a leader in STEAM education.
STEAM Ambassadors will meet on Zoom with Twila, learn a STEAM topic and bring it back to their youth groups, schools and communities!
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
Parents, grandparents, college students, high school seniors — We need you!
This STEAM Team is developed to get our Delaware youth thinking innovatively, we need youth to use their talents, and develop their intelligence working collaboratively. Are you someone who is interested in positively impacting our youth and community?
Volunteers are crucial to this program. You do not need a background in STEAM to be part of this experience. On the STEAM TEAM, youth drive their learning while volunteers offer support and guidance. If you are interested please fill in the Form linked below and we will be in touch with you shortly!
Volunteers are still needed for the same reason: Adults wanting to interact with youth and share their love for STEAM education. Volunteers will attend the same STEAM Team Ambassadors Zoom and learn a STEAM topic to take back and teach to their schools and communities.
2nd Annual Plogging on the Pomeroy Trail
We were able to clean the trail very effectively this year!
We collected 160 Pounds of trash when on the trail on Friday morning!
A big shout out to all those folks who came out to help clean the trail and get a little exercise!!
Our STEAM lesson was very informative and hands-on
April’s $100 Amazon Plogging Gift Card Goes to…
WOW!
We have 2 winners for the month of April…
Both of our winners are from our Plogging on the Pomeroy Trail Event
Theo Buck and Pete Drake are our 2 April Plogging Raffle winners!
Dates to Remember:
Thursday, May 9th: Dover Youth Committee meeting at Noon at the Dover Library.
May 12th through May 18th: National Prevention Week
Thursday, May 23rd: Health and Wellness Ambassadors meeting, ZOOM 6-7 PM.