Ánimo Westside Students Win Funding for Wellness Program
In honor of International Women’s Day, we’re proud to celebrate the young women at Ánimo Westside Charter Middle School are working to create social change at their school and within their community by launching Regular Girl Fitness. This program is built on the pillars of health literacy, mindfulness, and self awareness that seek to help young women get fit in every aspect of their life–mind, body, and soul. This fall, the students who dreamed up Regular Girl Fitness were selected by the LA Promise Fund to participate in the GirlsBuildLA Challenge. Ánimo Westside’s submission was one of several teams who will receive seed funding, support and supplies to address particular issues in their community ranging from health and wellness, civic engagement to leadership, STEM, and college access.
The young women of Regular Girl Fitness believe that health and wellness are foundational to all students’ success. That’s why this spring, student leaders will be hosting parents and members of the school community for the first Westside Wellness Day. The day will feature presentations on mindfulness and healthy eating, student-led deep breathing exercises, and yoga.
Educators and staff at Ánimo Westside are excited about this opportunity that has already begun reinforcing, planning, and organizing skills, boosting confidence, and empowering each participating student to explore passions in health and wellness. Green Dot believes in fostering this kind of student leadership across the network, encouraging students not just to participate in school, but to shape their own school’s culture.
Check out the submission video that won over the LA Promise Fund: