Researching happiness might sound a little vague, but it’s actually an avenue to better understanding of how factors like nutrition and activity affect happiness.
That was the message for school trustees at their regular board meeting on Nov. 9.
As one of their self-directed projects, students at Learning Expeditions have been looking at happiness, or as student Jasmine Baumeister told the board: “What can we do to live happier lives?”
The students at Learning Expeditions initiate inquiry-led projects for their education by starting with a question and researching to find out more.
“In our program, we create an experiment,” Baumeister added. Part of the assignment included writing up essays on the work. The students have been journaling on how their work has been going and whether it has resulted in increased happiness.
At Learning Expeditions, the students also learn how to give and receive critiques as part of the educational process, which can be an adjustment for some students, especially if they are new to the program, now in its second year at the old Stawamus Elementary site.
Another part of the program for the students is making presentations of their work. Student Hayden Maloney-Turner delivered his presentation to the trustees at the board meeting.
“We went out to a bunch of schools around the district and gave presentations,” Maloney-Turner said.
The students have been examining the topic of happiness through a number of different lenses, such as art, music, mindfulness, animals and kindness.
Maloney-Turner has been looking into the links between physical activity and nutrition with happiness.
He talked to the board about foods such as Swiss chard, dark chocolate, eggs, honey and Greek yogurt that have a beneficial effect on mental wellbeing.
He also touched on the importance of exercise in mental health.
“Being physically active releases endorphins,” he said.
“Almost everyone knows this.”
However, he explained fewer people might be aware physical activity can be used to combat addictions to more sedentary activities such as playing video games, adding he had used physical activity to confront his own game habit.
At the end of the presentation, Baumeister and Maloney-Turner led board members and district staff in making energy snacks with healthy ingredients.
Happiness as a topic of study is not new.
There is a non-profit organization, Project Happiness, that aims to empower people with resources to create greater happiness in themselves and the world.
Author Gretchen Rubin has also explored the topic in her book, The Happiness Project.
