Martin High School

For Brain Awareness Week, we planned various activities and shared interesting facts on Instagram, and basing each of our activities and facts on developmental stages. On Monday, we hosted a crochet session during lunch, where members learned how to crochet a patch. The patches will be put together to make a baby blanket, and will be given to a teacher at Martin High School that has had a baby last year or will be expecting a baby this year. People who were unable to attend the crochet session could participate in Brain Awareness Week by turning in crochet patches, and walking 7000 steps. This represents the baby stage of development. Tuesday, was based on preschool children, and members could join us during lunch to relax and color Mensa coloring sheets. On Wednesday, members were able to stop by and grab a brain-healthy breakfast. During lunch, we hosted a Lunch and Learn over neuroplasticity, and this represents the teenagers and the ability of a teen’s brain to absorb new information. Our school psychologist was the speaker. The members that were unable to attend the lunch and learn also had the option of trying two destress techniques. On Thursday, we made tea bag gifts for teachers to show our appreciation for their work. This represented middle age stages of development. On Friday, we hosted a Brain Bowl, and members could compete to win a jar of salsa. Throughout the week, members also received a chance to write a letter to a senior citizen living at the Heartis Senior Living Center in Arlington, and they also donated new socks to Mission Arlington. This activity represented the elderly stages of development.

We have an annual student committee and students are already planning events for next year. We shared information on our student news, and staff and students learned brain facts and were encouraged to participate in healthy activities. There has been a lot of discussion amongst our school community. The teachers were grateful for the gifts, the school psychologist was able to reach out to our high school students, the Senior Center and Mission Arlington thanked us for the donations.

Designate a specific group of students and divide the tasks. We also had leftover pencils and brain erasers from past years and students love freebies!