The Sources of Strength Wheel is a tool our students use to identify areas of strength we can lean into during difficult times, and areas of deficit that we can build-up to better weather the storms of life. As you thumb through this first issue of “What Helps Us,” we hope you will find new ways to “Work the Wheel” for yourself and your family!

The Sources Wheel:

Family Support – Whether related to us by blood or by choice, these are the people who support, nurture and care for us.

Positive Friends – Positive friends lift us up, make us laugh, are honest with us, and are there for us when we need them.

Mentors – A mentor is an experienced person who shares their insight to help guide us, and help us to draw on our own strengths to be the best version of ourselves.

Healthy Activities – When we feel stressed, healthy activities – whether they are social, physical or emotional – help us unwind, lift our mood and gain clarity.

Generosity – Generosity can look a lot of different ways, from donating money or time to being intentionally kind to other people. These acts of kindness toward others, big or small, can make an impact on how we feel about ourselves.

Spirituality – Spirituality is practiced in many ways, but at it's core researchers identify this as an important protective factor that gives us a sense of purpose and connection. Thankfulness is a profound way to practice spirituality together no matter what our cultural heritage or spiritual tradition.

Medical Access - When we are injured, we don't have to stay in pain. We can get better with the access to the medical care we need and deserve. Physical and social/emotional pain are often joined and it's important to take care of our bodies, hearts, and minds.

Mental Health - Mental Health is all about getting the support we need and deserve to help us when we are struggling. Our mental health is a very important part of living a healthy life, and oftentimes, getting together with a trusted person, a counselor, or a doctor can help empower us to overcome internal struggles we might be facing.

Sources of Strength is a K-6 curriculum that helps students to practice positive social and emotional skills and identify and grow the “Strengths” in their lives.  The curriculum is research based and supports a comprehensive wellness model centered on building community, strength, resilience and belonging for individuals and communities.  
 
At the core of the curriculum are eight Strengths: Family Support, Positive Friends, Mentors, Healthy Activities, Generosity, Spirituality, Physical Health and Mental Health.  Each lesson invites students to explore these Strengths in their own lives and empowers them to grow their Strengths.  By doing so, students build resilience and promote health and wellness for themselves and others.

At SSMS, a group of seventh and eighth graders have the opportunity to serve as peer leaders. Along with our adult advisors, peer leaders spread the message of hope, help, and strength to every corner of the school community. Peer leaders are trained to connect students to help and to remind our school of the many strengths that we have to deal with difficulties. Our peer leaders run campaigns throughout the school year that highlight messages of strength and hope and that help their classmates turn to their strengths and the supports that are all around them.

Here are some of the campaigns that Sources of Strength has run:

Take What You Need Wall: Peer leaders created a display with post-its that had reminders of students’ strengths and encouraging messages. Students in the school were encouraged to “take what they needed” by taking a post-it as they passed the wall. 

Riddle Competition: Our peer leaders collected riddles related to the different areas of the Sources of Strength wheel. During lunch, students guessed the answers to the riddles. Each grade worked as a team to get the highest number of riddles correct, and our sixth won by a landslide!

Sources of Strength Week: Every student had the opportunity to spend time in the library learning about the Sources of Strength wheel and engaging in different activities that aligned with the various areas of strength. This included making friendship bracelets, having a basketball shooting competition, coloring, and creating kindness cards.
 

The program takes a proactive approach to preventing suicide, and other mental health concerns, by ensuring that students have access to resources that can help them become stronger, healthier and more connected — more resilient during the most challenging times, as South Side Principal Patrick Walsh put it.

“What is really special about it is that it is driven and run by a truly dedicated team of faculty and staff,” Walsh said of Sources of Strength. “Creating conditions and opportunities to establish positive connections between our students and staff is essential. Throughout the year, the team broadcasts messages of hope, positivity and resiliency throughout our school through various campaigns and activities.”’

Nicole Knorr, a social worker at the high school, helps facilitate the program with the help of 25 adult advisers and 65 peer leaders throughout the school, who promote healing and support so that students know they are not alone in their struggles.

“Not everybody is going to tap into the same social strength, because we’re all different,” Knorr said. “So what might be my main strength may not be yours. And that’s OK. Sometimes kids don’t even recognize how they can develop and strengthen these areas of their life until they start talking about it.”

The annual event was created to help students learn about and cultivate their Sources of Strength through a variety of fun activities focusing on physical, mental and emotional wellness. From the fun and excitement of painting inspirational messages on rocks to the soothing stretching of yoga, there is something for everyone to take part in.

Of course, what wellness fair would be complete without several giveaways and prizes? Students can receive an array of free goodies including their own colorful artwork, free children’s books provided by the RVC Library, and a variety of sensory toys.

Keep an eye out in the spring for more information on the Annual Wellness Walk and Fair!

2025 Annual Wellness Walk and Fair
May 3, 2025 12 – 2 PM 
SSMS Track & Field