A two-person acting team from CLIMB Theatre was in Luverne and Hills-Beaver Creek elementary classrooms last week talking to students about brain health.
“Brain health,” they said, is defined as “how the brain affects how we think, feel and act.”
They illustrated through skits the difference between a healthy brain (smiling, happy body language) and a brain that’s suffering (slumped shoulders, sad expressions).
“If your friend had a broken leg, you wouldn’t tell them to ‘walk it off,’ would you?” actress Zsofi Eastvold asked students.
“Of course you wouldn’t. You’d find a way to help.”
And she and Jon Haven acted out scenarios illustrating how to recognize a friend with struggling brain health and how to “empathize” and “advocate” for them.
The 20-something actors adjusted their vocabulary and skits to be age appropriate for each of the elementary grade levels.
But the message was the same for all ages: Our brains are no different from any other part of our body. If we have a stomachache, we get help from the school nurse or helpful adult. If we need help with our brain health, we go to the school counselor or helpful adult.
The Twin Cities-based CLIMB (Creative Learning Ideas for the Mind and Body) organization works in school districts statewide, teaching life skills, such as empathy, resiliency, advocacy and more.
Carson’s Cause funds CLIMB, directs brain health script
Two years ago, CLIMB actors began performing an entirely new script at the request of Carson’s Cause, which provides funding to bring them to local schools.
The tailored message focuses on brain health as a component of physical health being no different from a toothache or stomachache.
“The CLIMB actors are so young, energetic and engaging for the elementary students,” said Lori Sorenson, co-founder of Carson’s Cause.
“It’s so fun to watch them work their magic in the classrooms and see the important message hit home with students.”
Sorenson founded Carson’s Cause in 2022 after her son, Carson, died at age 21 of suicide. The goal of the non-profit is to normalize brain health conversations to encourage treatment and prevent suicide.
In addition to CLIMB Theatre grant funding, Carson’s Cause works with school counselors to purchase age-appropriate children’s books to reinforce proper brain health dialogue.
Sorenson and counselors read and interpret the books with students who then take them home to their families.
In addition to Luverne and H-BC, Carson’s Cause is working with Edgerton and Pipestone school districts with plans to expand into additional classrooms later in the school year.
Luverne first-graders on Monday, Oct. 20, illustrate what it looks like to be excited.
Luverne first-graders on Monday, Oct. 20, illustrate what it looks like to be surprised.
CLIMB actor Jon Haven and Luverne first-grader Graham DeBoer show what it looks like to be sad and disappointed.
Luverne third-grader Guinevere Carlson shows what excited looks like.
H-BC fifth-grader Rydr Klosterbuer shows what it looks like to be happy and excited
H-BC student Nyros Wishim shows an “angry” expression.
