UCS Wellness Podcast

Henry Ford II seniors, Anthony Lanni, Collin Carandang, and Keegan Smith, hosted the first of its kind Student Athlete Wellness Mini Fair in March of 2025. The event featured UCS and community vendors, as well as a keynote speaker - Chris McDonald, a 2008 Henry Ford II graduate, a former Michigan State University and National Football League (NFL) football player. 

This UCS Wellness Podcast is hosted by the three seniors, interviewing McDonald on the importance of the three pillars that make up a student athlete - mental health, physical health and nutritional health. For more on UCS Wellness, visit uticak12.org/ucs_wellness. 

In the second episode of this two-episode podcast, the final three tips to increase focus and decrease stress will be shared with listeners. Hosted by Erin Chambers, Shelby Junior High physical education and health teacher, this podcast will cover the positive influence breath, drinking water and ideal nutrition can have on our bodies with the guidance of Jeannette Junior High physical education and health teacher, Matt Cecil. 

The UCS Wellness podcast is a resource created by Utica Community Schools, a K-12 school district located within Macomb County, Michigan. The UCS Wellness Podcast is released on the third Wednesday of each month throughout the school year. For more on UCS Wellness, visit uticak12.org/ucs_wellness

Referenced items in this episode:

Wimhof breathing

Chris Knobbe, MD – promotes ancestral nutrition 

In an effort to help listeners learn to increase their focus and decrease their stress, this episode is broken into two parts with host Erin Chambers, Shelby Junior High physical education and health teacher, speaking with Matt Cecil, Jeannette Junior High physical education and health teacher on the topic. In the first episode, Matt Cecil highlights sleep, exercise and cold exposure and the positive impact they can have on an individual. 

The UCS Wellness podcast is a resource created by Utica Community Schools, a K-12 school district located within Macomb County, Michigan. The UCS Wellness Podcast is released on the third Wednesday of each month throughout the school year. For more on UCS Wellness, visit uticak12.org/ucs_wellness

Books referenced in this episode: 

“Why We Sleep” by Matthew Walker, PhD
“Dopamine Nation” by Anna Lembke, MD

This UCS Wellness Podcast focuses on nutrition and how to raise, and become, an intuitive eater. Tune in as Shelby Junior High School counselor, Kim Twarowski speaks with registered dietician, Ruth Mach about this topic.  

The UCS Wellness podcast is a resource created by Utica Community Schools, a K-12 school district located within Macomb County, Michigan. The UCS Wellness Podcast is released on the third Wednesday of each month throughout the school year. For more on UCS Wellness, visit uticak12.org/ucs_wellness

To help give insight on teen mental health and wellness, this episode features members of the Utica High School Student Mental Health Committee, made up of a community of counselors, teachers and students who collaborate on ways to teach staff and students about mental health and help implement activities that improve mental health. 

Utica High School counselor, Kelly Bronski, speaks with UHS junior Jordan Jones and senior Natalie Shtogrin about the importance of teen mental health and wellness. 

The UCS Wellness podcast is a resource created by Utica Community Schools, a K-12 school district located within Macomb County, Michigan. The UCS Wellness Podcast is released on the third Wednesday of each month throughout the school year. For more on UCS Wellness, visit uticak12.org/ucs_wellness

Shelby Junior High School counselor, Kim Twarowski speaks with Terri Nekoogar, Caring 4 Students (C4S) coordinator, about mental health programs offered to UCS students through the Macomb Intermediate School District (MISD) and C4S. These programs include Calm Classroom and MIBEST, standing for Macomb Intermediate Behavioral Emotional Support Team. 

The UCS Wellness podcast is a resource created by Utica Community Schools, a K-12 school district located within Macomb County, Michigan. The UCS Wellness Podcast is released on the third Wednesday of each month throughout the school year. For more on UCS Wellness, visit uticak12.org/ucs_wellness

The UCS Wellness podcast is a resource created by Utica Community Schools, a K-12 school district located within Macomb County, Michigan. For more on UCS Wellness, visit uticak12.org/ucs_wellness

The Detour Project website

KnowResolve website

Vapes, also known as e-cigarettes, have become increasingly popular with youth across the U.S. over the past decade. So much so, that vaping (the use of vape pens/e-cigarettes) has been regarded as a youth epidemic by medical communities, including the Food and Drug Administration and the Missouri State Medical Association. This episode of the UCS Wellness Podcast will cover topics such as identifying what a vape is, the importance of communicating with children about vaping, and more.

To discuss this important topic, Henry Ford II counselor, Catherine Livingston, sits down with Quality Assurance Specialist, Corey Beckwith, LMSW, CPC-R from ACCESS, a local organization that offers a wide range of social, economic, health and educational services to a diverse population. 

The UCS Wellness podcast is a resource created by Utica Community Schools, a K-12 school district located within Macomb County, Michigan. The UCS Wellness Podcast is released on the third Wednesday of each month throughout the school year. For more on UCS Wellness, visit uticak12.org/ucs_wellness

Resources referenced in this episode:

ACCESS Website

ACCESS phone number: (313) 216-2200

FDA - An Epidemic Continues: Youth Vaping in America

Missouri State Medical Association - The Vaping Epidemic in Adolescents

My Life, My Quit

Talk To Your Child About Vaping | American Lung Association

With suicide as the second leading cause of death in the U.S. for those between the ages of 10 and 34, the importance of this topic is unmistakable.

This episode of the UCS Wellness Podcast will emphasize the value of 'talking about it' and expressing yourself. We invite you to listen to this valuable conversation between Henry Ford II High School counselor, Catherine Livingston, and KnowResolve Founder and Executive Director, Dennis Liegghio. KnowResolve is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to promoting mental health and preventing youth suicides through outreach, advocacy and education.

The UCS Wellness Podcast will be taking a brief break from our regular monthly release schedule for the 2022 summer months. We will return again on September 14th with regular monthly episodes, beginning with the topic: "Our Youth and Vaping." Have an enjoyable, safe summer and be well!

Show Notes:

The UCS Wellness podcast is a resource created by Utica Community Schools, a K-12 school district located within Macomb County, Michigan. For more on UCS Wellness, visit uticak12.org/ucs_wellness

KnowResolve website

Macomb County Crisis Center: 586-307-9100

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

Crisis Text Line: Text 'HOME' to 741741

Balancing between protecting your child and giving them privacy can be a challenge for parents. This podcast is intended to educate parents and help them stimulate communication with their children around the sensitive topic of sexual assaultive crimes. To help address this subject, UCS counselor, Kim Twarowski, speaks with Sgt. Renee Yax, Public Information Officer of the Macomb County Sheriff's Office.

The UCS Wellness podcast is a resource created by Utica Community Schools, a K-12 school district located within Macomb County, Michigan. The UCS Wellness Podcast is released on the third Wednesday of each month throughout the school year. For more on UCS Wellness, visit uticak12.org/ucs_wellness

Resources referenced in this episode:

Macomb County Sheriff's office

https://sheriff.macombgov.org/sheriff-home

586-469-5151

Shelby Township Police Department

https://crimewatch.net/us/mi/macomb-county/shelby-twp-pd

586-731-2121

City of Utica Police Department

http://www.cityofutica.org/departments/utica_police/index.php

586-731-2345

Sterling Heights Police Department

https://www.sterling-heights.net/466/Police-Department

586-446-2801