Seniors unwind at Wellness Fair presented by GHC's Wellness Center

GHC Wellness Fair Inspires Self-Care and Mindfulness for Our Senior Class

Our senior class came together for a special event dedicated to promoting health, wellness, and mindfulness: GHC's annual Senior Wellness Fair. Designed to support our students during a pivotal moment in their high school journey, the fair offered a much-needed opportunity to pause, reset, and refocus on the importance of mental, physical, and emotional well-being.

The event featured a dynamic mix of activities, vendors, and a special presentation aimed at helping students explore new strategies for managing stress, staying active, and making balanced choices—especially as they prepare to transition into life after graduation.

Highlights of the morning included multiple interactive vendor booths hosted by local community health organizations covering topics from nutrition and mindfulness to making informed choices and healthy relationships. Additional highlights from the event include:

• Guest speaker presentation by activists Katie Koestner and Gordon Braxton.

• The Warrior Way self-defense and mindfulness station offered tools for relaxation and mental clarity.

• Paws To Share animal therapy station offered students the opportunity to regulate their emotions with man's best friend. 

• Painting With A Twist art and journaling station that encouraged self-expression and creative reflection.

• The GR818ers movement therapy station, to energize both body and mind.

• Bearies Açaí to refresh students on a sunny day and remind them of the role good nutrition plays in feeling their best.

A special thank you goes out to all of these organizations who volunteered their time to connect with our students:

• CATS (Center for Assault Treatment Services)
• CSUN Pride Center
• Dignity Health
• Journey Out
• NAMI - SFV
• Penny Lane
• Phoenix House
• Pregnancy Counseling Center
• Same Difference Co.
• SFVMHC Bullying Program
• Strength United
• Stuart House, UCLA Rape Treatment Center
• TransLatin@ Coalition
• UCLA Health
• USC School of Social Work, Trauma Recovery Center (TRC@USC)

We also want to appreciate these organizations for providing in-kind donations as part of our giveaways: Back Alley Bowling, Bearies Acai, Blaze Pizza, CA MusicBox, Chick-fil-A, Cinnabon, Copy Cat Sports, GHCHS PTSA, In-N-Out, Loyola Marymount University CARES, Menchie’s Nekter, Nothing Bundt Cakes, Pieology, Presto Pasta, Regency Theatres, Raising Cane’s, Sprouts Farmers Market, Sunberry Acai Bowls, The Habit, Play for Jade Events, Inc. and Whata Peach.

Beyond the activities, the fair sparked conversations among students about prioritizing self-care and seeking support when needed. “It was nice to provide a moment for students just to breathe. With everything going on—college decisions, finals, graduation—it's good to be reminded that taking care of ourselves is important,” shared School Social Worker, Jacqueline McDonald, LCSW.

We are proud of our seniors for engaging thoughtfully with the fair and embracing the tools offered to help them navigate these exciting, and sometimes overwhelming, final months of high school.

Special thanks to our dedicated staff, vendors, guest presenters, alumni and parent volunteers, and student leaders who helped bring this event to life. Your efforts helped make our Wellness Fair a meaningful and memorable experience.

As the Class of 2025 prepares to take their next steps, we hope today’s Wellness Fair serves as a lasting reminder: wellness is not a destination, but a daily practice—and every small step counts.

About Katie Koestner: Ms. Koestner has lectured at over 5000 colleges and high schools in North America. She has appeared on the cover of TIME Magazine, on Oprah, CNN, MTV, MSNBC, NBC Nightly News, Good Morning America, Larry King Live, Later Today, Entertainment Tonight, is the subject of an HBO Movie, as well as dozens of other national news programs. The US Ambassador to India has invited Ms. Koestner to lecture for 19 days in India, and the US Department of Defense has had Ms. Koestner train their top 200 officers. Katie’s quick wit, humor and captivating delivery keep her audiences glued to every word! When Katie shares her personal story about being the victimofDate Rape, her audiences are both inspired andmoved to takemore positive actions as bystanders when they witness unhealthy relationships. Katie has presented to hundreds of top schools in North America, including Rye Country Day, St. Joe’s Prep, St. Mary’s, Dalton, Collegiate, Groton, Hotchkiss, Westminster, Berkshire, Greenwich Academy, Germantown Academy, Flint Hill, Salisbury, Pomfret, Governor's Academy, Georgetown, Davidson, Williams, UCLA, UGA, MIT, Cornell, Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Brown, and many more.

About Gordon Braxton: Audiences are disarmed by his humility and drawn in by the cool ease with which Gordon navigates masculinity, the role of black men in preventing sexual violence, and bystander engagement. His own brush with near-death at age 18 sparked a lifelong determination to ensure he leaves this world a more caring, committed, and equitable place. Gordon Braxton is a Division Chief with the Department of Defense, and previously served as the Prevention Specialist at Harvard University, where he implemented the University’s violence prevention policies. Gordon completed his undergraduate work at the University of Virginia and has a master’s degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. He was identified by Ebony Magazine as a “super man” because of his commitment to activism focused on fighting intimate partner violence. Gordon was introduced to the field of sexual violence prevention as a peer educator in an all-male anti-violence group at the University of Virginia. He serves as the Director of Men’s Involvement for Campus Outreach Services and is on the board of the Take Back the Night Foundation. He is also the author of “Empowering Black Boys to Challenge Rape Culture.”