2025 Shape Iowa Convention

Youth mental health has declined in the last decade. Five kids in a class of twenty-five will likely experience depression before adulthood. The latest reports on youth mental health showed that currently, 1 in 3 youth experience poor mental health and almost half felt persistently sad or hopeless. Schools have been and will continue to be a crucial part of the solution. Erika’s Lighthouse provides skills-based, teacher-led programs for grades 4-12 that educate students about adolescent depression, encourage conversations to reduce stigma, and teach help-seeking skills while meeting National Health Education Standards. This session will describe how utilizing these programs can have a positive impact on your students and your school’s mental health culture and school climate. Participants will learn how to immediately access and implement these free turn-key programs along with other resources available for staff and families.

More than 70 Iowa Schools have partnered with PLT4M to create a more student-focused Physical Education program. Learn how schools across the state are vertically aligning instruction and leveraging instructional technology to personalize and enhance the student experience.

In this presentation, we will explore the transformative effects of the Healthy LifeStars program on youth health. We'll delve into how this initiative empowers children to adopt healthy habits, fostering physical activity, balanced nutrition, and overall well-being. We'll also highlight how Physical Education (PE) teachers can seamlessly integrate the Healthy LifeStars curriculum into their classrooms, enhancing their ability to promote lifelong healthy habits among students. Through inspiring stories and impactful data, we'll showcase the program's success in creating lasting positive changes in communities. Join us to discover how Healthy LifeStars is building healthier futures for the next generation and empowering educators to make a difference.

Williamsburg Jr. Sr. High School put on an event to host other schools Adaptive P.E Programs as they engaged in physical activity. We had 8 Schools and 80+ students join our day of movements, exercise, and games. These were 10 special stations set for success for all students. Our FCCLA program of our general education students helped with the day plus help from Grant Wood AEA. We hosted a "Big Event" where students competed in a few organized games. This day was full of fun and physical activity where we even served lunch. This was the first time we hosted our own event but all the schools want us to have it again as this was a day for our adaptive students to have a day/event look forward to. This day promoted exercise and physical activity for all students and we collaborated with other adaptive P.E. programs to gain more knowledge. 100+ people came worked together to provide such a fun day.

I would present on how this day came about and why it is important. I would also present the special games we did to keep student engaged during our Together We Play Day. I would also explain the logistics of how the day was successful and the reason behind it all.

The Character Development and Leadership PE Program is designed to purposefully and intentionally teach middle and high school students how to have strong character and become an effective leader in the context of physical education classes, team sports and down the road of life. This program will delve into 30 core principles of character, such as integrity, respect, responsibility, and empathy, and how these traits enhance both personal growth and team success. We will provide participants with daily 2-5 minute activities that can be immediately implemented in PE classes and sports teams. By the end of this presentation, participants will be equipped with the tools and insights needed to deliver strong ethical skills within their physical education classes, setting the stage for a lifetime of personal and professional success. All participants will receive a copy of the book, "Sports Role Models."