The Healthy Blacksmith Challenge

As a part of the Group 4 Project for the Diploma Program of our IB school, seniors at Westlake Academy took on the challenge of helping staff members make healthy choices. 

First, they created videos to invite our staff to join the challenge.

Each student was partnered with a staff member to be their mentor. We used a Google Form to collect feedback from teachers on what their goals were during this time, and that guided the content we created for our website (find our website here)


Students involved completed research and wrote content to help educate staff members on healthy eating habits, sleep, exercise habits, and stress. They created challenges for staff members to participate in throughout each week to receive points. 

We had 5 prizes to give away, funded by the Quinn Grant through the Westlake Academy Foundation, including an Apple Watch for the first place prize winner. 

Lastly, 2 students that used their creativity to create these videos and our website presented our project to our town board members who have expressed their interest in participating in this project next year.

Our world becomes a better place when we take the time to make it one, through small actions and using our creativity to solve problems and help each other succeed. It was so much fun to watch the seniors take what they have learned throughout the last few years and get creative and make an impact on their campus. There's a huge misconception that there's no time or capacity for older students to be doing these types of things; that there's just too much content to cover before testing time. At the end of the day, we're all getting our kids ready for some type of exam. The path you take to get there is in your control. Creativity has a place. If students can create and problem solve through authentic learning experiences by applying what they are learning, then they will absolutely be ready for those exams they need to take! At the end of the day, their bosses are going to be looking for problem-solvers and creative thinkers that can be put into situations that will allow for them to use their knowledge, rather than push out facts. I wonder how we are supporting our students to be ready for their future? Don't get me wrong. Not every lesson I do is problem-based and full of creative moments, but I am slowly working toward that. The more I embrace my own creativity, the more room I make for it in the classroom as well.

(Thanks Jodie Deinhammer for modeling this project years ago when we worked together at Coppell. I've always dreamed of making it come alive one day and we've finally had our chance!)