Healthy Living Expo Educates Students of the Lehigh Valley
Students enjoyed the Robotics Team’s booth at the Healthy Living Expo
On November 20, Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) hosted the club’s annual Healthy Living Expo in the high school gymnasium. The expo featured a variety of booths from student clubs, neighboring schools, and local organizations.
For over 20 years, Lehigh Valley students have enjoyed the Healthy Living Expo, which was started to help better educate the community about the benefits of healthy living. Southern Lehigh has hosted the expo for several years.
At the expo, school clubs and outside organizations each host a booth that promotes some aspect of healthy living. The booths can include an activity, game, or other informational component.
“The whole purpose of the Healthy Living Expo is to have students see different options for healthy living,” SADD secretary Lauren Unger said. “It’s not just eating healthy but working out and…making healthy decisions.”
This year, six other schools from the Lehigh Valley were in attendance. The SADD clubs from each of these schools were invited to share their thoughts and ideas with SLHS students. Ten organizations from around the Lehigh Valley, such as the Center for Humanistic Change and Valley Youth House, were also in attendance.
The activities at the expo included education about the effects of smoking, the benefits of stress relief, and the impacts of texting and driving. All the activities were geared towards leading a healthy lifestyle, and promoted both physical and mental health.
“[The Healthy Living Expo] is for Lehigh County, so all SADD club in Lehigh country are invited,” SLHS SADD adviser Mrs. Justine Viola said. We try to coordinate it for Southern Lehigh SADD clubs to network and share our experiences.”
Southern Lehigh’s SADD club is part of a national organization that promotes responsible behaviors for young adults. All of the club’s activities are meant to deter students from making destructive decisions and lead a healthy life.
“[The expo] is fantastic,” assistant principal Mr. Thomas Ruhf said. “It’s a great opportunity for people to come here and interact [with one another].”
Senior Sarah Jacobson is a third-year staff reporter, former Our World editor, and current Editor-in-Chief of the Spotlight. She is also the head of social...