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Goal

During covid we taught our students to stay away, don’t touch, don’t even look at. In a sense we have dehumanized our society. We no longer look at each other as loving human beings with a family. We all make mistakes and no one is perfect but resiliency is what makes the difference. Those who are resilient survive and those who aren’t don’t. We have to re-train our students to embrace the humanity in themselves and others. We have to teach them that it is alright to struggle and need help. Getting the help, reaching out to someone, even just to talk through your emotions is how we all make it through this life. Hosting a Resiliency Day event at Yulee High School will allow us to make this change because building resiliency is how we all learn to improve our confidence and thrive. Learning to be resilient will also improve learning in the classroom. Students will improve their critical thinking ability, empathy, grit, and how to take personal responsibility. The vision is to work with 400 9th grade students in small groups over the course of two days to focus on their resiliency. By focusing on the 9th graders it will allow us to have 4 years of an impact at Yulee High School. In hosting a resiliency event we will effectively be teaching students how to regulate emotions, improve their participation in the classroom, decrease disruptions and build commonality among students.

 

 

Category

SHARK Resiliency -  

 

What will be done with my students

Over the course of two days approximately 400 students and 30 community volunteers will participate in resiliency building activities in small and large groups. The goal is to work with 200 students per day in the school gymnasium. We will begin with the disclaimer of how the day will cover sensitive topics and confidentiality is expected. There will be large group activities followed by small group break out sessions with an adult facilitating activities to create a bond and resilience growth. This will lead back into a whole group activity and a small group pull out session. The goal is to start with some easier generic topics such as commonality with peers to build trust among the groups and as the day progresses the topics will become deeper leading to resiliency challenges.

While resiliency is now a state requirement in the state of Florida and they have their own set of standards this sort of event has never been held to this scale in Nassau County before. Since we are choosing to work with the 9th grade students the hope is they will impact the upper classmen around them and continue their impact on those following in their footsteps next year. This involvement and change will impact those around them and hopefully ultimately build confidence so students will improve classroom performance and continue to grow into resourceful, thriving adults.


Full-Day Timeline – “Resilience Day” (9:00 AM – 3:45 PM)
Time
Activity
Duration
Description / Notes
9:00 – 9:25 AM
Welcome & Icebreaker: “Commonality with Peers” + DJ Music
25 min
Students gather by groups; icebreaker with music and quick introductions
9:25 – 9:45 AM
Opening Remarks
20 min
Program goals, expectations, introductions of advisors and facilitators
9:45 – 10:25 AM
Activity 1: “Human Bingo”
40 min
Interactive get-to-know-you activity (digital via Canva or printed)
10:25 – 11:10 AM
Workshop 1: “What Is Resilience?”
45 min
Video: Building Stress Resilience: What Does Resilience Mean? (RISE, 2022) followed by small-group reflection
11:10 – 11:20 AM
Snack & Transition Break
10 min
Light snack, hydration, quick reset
11:20 AM – 12:05 PM
Activity 2: “Cross the Line – Empathy & Shared Experiences”
45 min
Guided empathy exercise; building understanding through movement and reflection
12:05 – 12:50 PM
Lunch & Music Moment (DJ Set)
45 min
Relaxed lunch break with uplifting background music
12:50 – 1:40 PM
Activity 3: “Resilience Challenge Stations”
50 min
Rotating team challenges (problem-solving, teamwork, communication)
1:40 – 2:20 PM
Creative Expression: “Resilience Wall”
40 min
Art-based activity — students create posters, paint, or write affirmations
2:20 – 2:35 PM
Break / Transition
15 min
Brain break; rehydration and reset before final session
2:35 – 3:10 PM
Closing Circle: “Lift Each Other Up”
35 min
Group reflection, gratitude circle, sharing insights and encouragement
3:10 – 3:35 PM
Next Steps & Student Reflections
25 min
Journaling, completion of surveys/reflection sheets, discussion of follow-up resilience projects
3:35 – 3:45 PM
Farewell & Dismissal Music
10 min
DJ plays uplifting send-off music; closing announcements and thank-you 

 

Benefits to my students

By the end of the Resiliency Day program, students will be able to define resiliency in their own words and identify three concrete strategies people use to recover from setbacks. They will recognize signs of stress and name at least two coping strategies that help them regulate emotions. Through hands-on activities, students will demonstrate at least two evidence based coping skills such as deep breathing, grounding, reframing, or asking for help and apply teamwork and problem solving strategies in at least one collaborative challenge that requires planning, communication, and cooperation. Additionally, students will report an increased sense of belonging and a greater willingness to support their peers, as well as express a personal commitment to practice at least one resilience strategy in the next month.

In the short term, within the day of the Challenge Day program and the following week, 90% of participants will be able to verbally define resilience and identify at least two strategies for managing challenges.

Additionally, 75% of students will report feeling more connected to at least one peer, as measured through the post event survey, and 80% will complete a personal resiliency action plan or pledge card outlining how they plan to apply these skills.

In the medium term, within one to three months after the event, 50–60% of participants are expected to report using at least one new coping strategy when faced with stress, demonstrating the program’s practical impact.

Furthermore, teachers and counselors will observe improved classroom participation and fewer disruptive incidents among at least 25% of participating students, indicating that the lessons from Resiliency Day are being successfully transferred to the school environment.

By the end of Resilience Challenge Day, students will know what resilience is, be able to demonstrate basic coping strategies, and show a measurable increase in connectedness and self efficacy. A simple mixed-methods evaluation (pre/post surveys, facilitator rubrics, 1-week and 1-month follow-ups, and selective qualitative focus groups) will document immediate learning, medium-term usage, and longer-term impacts on school climate. (provide incentives and prizes for engagement to survey).

Success for the Resiliency Challenge Day: The program will be evaluated through a combination of formative and summative assessments designed to measure what students learn, retain, and apply over time. Formative assessments will include pre- and post-event surveys focused on students’ understanding of resilience, self efficacy in managing stress, and feelings of school connectedness. These surveys will assess short-term knowledge gains, changes in attitudes toward coping, and immediate emotional impact.
In addition, facilitators will use observation rubrics for the assigned group during activities to document student engagement, demonstration of coping skills, and teamwork behaviors.
Summative assessments will take place one to three months after the program, using follow up surveys and focus groups to evaluate whether students are using the coping strategies introduced during Resilience Challenge Day. Teachers and counselors will also provide observational feedback on changes in classroom participation, behavior, and peer interactions. Collectively, these tools will help determine the program’s effectiveness in promoting mental health awareness, improving social emotional skills, and fostering lasting resilience among students.
 

 

Budget Narrative

The substitute teachers covers teachers attending or supervising resilience activities. Printing agendas, signs, and reflection materials will cost $400. The projector and screen rental will cover setup sufficient for large group presentations. The sound system and technician supports gym or multipurpose room setup. The DJ/music will provide energy and transitions between segments throughout the day. The materials and art supplies supports “Resilience Wall” and large-group creative projects. The take home tool kit includes stress ball, affirmation card, mini journal, coping tools. The evaluation cost covers pre/post reflection sheets and data entry. The administrative/ contingency fee is a small buffer for unexpected costs. 

 

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