Loveland Police Officer Bobbi Jo Pastecki, right, and her co-response partner, Summit Stone Therapist Amy Healy, attend a women’s health event Friday at Mountain View High School in Loveland. Demonstrates several self-defense techniques at a retreat. (Jenny Sparks/Loveland Herald reporter)
Last fall, Mountain View High School senior Ilyana Collins had questions about her health, searched for answers, and decided that young women needed more education about how to properly care for their bodies.
Six months later, the junior’s determination to help fill the knowledge gap culminated in a women’s wellness retreat for 30 colleagues, with workshops aimed at mental and physical health. Reached.
“If just one person comes away from this retreat having learned something or feeling empowered, that’s all that matters,” Collins said between Friday morning sessions.
Friday’s retreat, held at a Mountain View gym, featured plenty of opportunities for both. Participants rotated through four stations throughout the day. Mental health workshops led by school social worker Raquel Castillo, self-defense demonstrations led by Loveland Police Department School Resource Officer Bobbie Jo Pastecki, and physical health led by Northern Women’s Clinic. It was a class. A collage-making session focused on Colorado and self-care.
The day also included lunch, a keynote speech from a Colorado woman, and at the end of the day, participants were given personalized goodie bags filled with organic tea, skin care products, informational pamphlets, positive affirmations, and more.
“We wanted it to be as relaxing a retreat as possible,” Collins said. “Unlike today’s weather, the purpose was to do some mental cleaning.”
Collins did almost all the work in organizing the event, from finding workshop leaders to soliciting sponsors and donations. She received $400 from the Women’s Clinic of Northern Colorado, a meal voucher from King Soopers and a goodie bag from Women of Colorado, a statewide group that organizes events, outings and educational opportunities for women. I received the supplies.
“I learned how to leave these great voicemails. I probably sent over 50 emails,” the junior said. “…There were a lot of things that went into this.”
And that effort does not go unrecognized. On Wednesday, Collins was named this year’s high school winner of the Thompson Kids Can Change the World contest, which has been held annually since 2017.
“We’re pushing the envelope a little bit to think about how kids can give back to their community or do something to change the world from their perspective,” said Mike Hausman, a spokesperson for the Thompson School District. “We put together this program as a way to think outside the box.” . “They put together ideas and pitched them to us.”
A committee of school officials, including Mr. Hausman, evaluates the contest entries and selects the winners, which are often difficult decisions.
“There are so many really great ideas that it’s hard to choose just one,” he said.
Ms. Collins’ mother and Mountain View administrator stopped by her band class to surprise announce her win, but Ms. Collins almost missed the time to get a call about the event.
“When I came back, there were about 20 admins in the room and we were doing it on Facebook Live,” the junior recalled with a laugh. “And her mother came out and was crying. It was a huge crisis.”
Collins will receive $300 to help fund her second women’s wellness retreat, which she plans to host next year. The district will also provide her with marketing and other support to help promote the event.
This year’s grant recipient for the kindergarten through fifth grade age group is Aleah Triplett, a student at Sarah Milner Elementary School who wants to start a penpal program between students and seniors.
When she’s not planning wellness retreats or in class, Collins is a member of Mountain View’s track team and vice president of the school’s Interact Club and its chapter, Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA). He is also the chairman. After graduating from high school, she plans to attend medical school and eventually become a pediatric anesthesiologist.
For more information about the Thompson Kids Can Change the World contest, visit tsd.org/change-the-world.
