***NEWS RELEASE***
Queen Anne’s County, MD – Queen Anne’s County Public Schools (QACPS) proudly hosted its 1st Annual Wellness Resource Fairs at both Kent Island High School (KIHS) and Queen Anne’s County High School (QACHS) this spring, bringing together over 1,500 students and 20 local wellness organizations to promote health, mental well-being, and community connection.
These groundbreaking events were designed to introduce students to a wide range of local health and wellness resources in a fun and engaging environment. The fairs took place in the outdoor courtyards of each school, with student attendance divided across three lunch periods.
At KIHS, approximately 900 students participated, while 600 students took part at QACHS. Each fair featured an impressive lineup of community partners, including:
- Choptank Community Health
- Mid Shore Behavioral Health
- Eastern Shore Mobile Crisis
- Pets on Wheels of the Delmarva
- Maryland Coalition of Families
- Island Holistics
- Shore Elite PT
- Queen Anne’s County YMCA
- For All Seasons
- And many others
New participants at QACHS included Minary’s Dream Alliance, Charlie Health, Sandstone, and Thrive Behavioral Health.
Students had the opportunity to explore tables staffed by health professionals, nonprofit organizations, yoga instructors, mental health providers, and crisis intervention teams. From mindfulness techniques to social services, the event showcased the wide range of support available to youth in Queen Anne’s County.
“These fairs represent our commitment to addressing the whole child,” said Megan Pinder, QACPS Behavioral Health Coordinator. “By empowering students with direct access to community support, we are not only promoting wellness, we are building resilience.”
QACPS thanks the vendors, volunteers, staff, and students who made this event possible. Special appreciation goes to Striving For Wellness Together, which played a key role in organizing and facilitating the fairs. We are truly grateful to the Maryland Consortium on Coordinated Community Supports for funding the event.
The success of the 1st Annual Wellness Resource Fairs sets the stage for what is hoped to become a new tradition in student support across Queen Anne’s County.
Download a PDF copy of the news release here.