Osborne High School recently held its first-ever Health and Wellness Fair, a student-led initiative that brought together health professionals, fitness experts, and wellness advocates from across the community—all thanks to the vision and leadership of senior Emma Wood.

Emma, who is involved in leading and lending her voice to many different clubs including the BETA Club and the OHS Student Government as its Executive President. Through her involvement with BETA, she was able to breathe life into her idea for the Wellness Fair. Emma first pitched the idea to Principal Dr. Troy Jones in January. Her goal? To create an event that would educate and empower Osborne students to prioritize their mental, physical, and emotional health.

Dr. Jones supported the vision, recognizing both the timeliness of the topic and the strength of student initiative. While he encouraged Emma to pursue the idea, he also made it clear that bringing it to life would require serious leadership, a team, a plan, and community support.

As a member of BETA Club, Emma knew that their involvement would be a vital part of the event's success. As the largest club at Osborne, she knew that once BETA Club was on board, success was certain to follow. Ms. Deidra Carter, faculty sponsor of BETA was excited to see Emma's passion and knew that this was a project that aligned with their mission. 

The fair featured booths and hands-on activities on mental health resources, physical fitness, nutrition, dental hygiene, healthy eating, and more. Local hospitals, clinics, gyms, and nonprofits came out in full force, offering free screenings, informational handouts, and even wellness giveaways. Students rotated through stations and left the event with not just brochures and resources—but real knowledge and tools to support healthy living.

Dr. Jones praised the event as a model for student leadership and community engagement. “Emma turned her vision into reality and created something lasting for our students. It’s one thing to have an idea, but it’s another to put in the work. She did both.”

For Emma, the success of the fair was never just about the one day—it was about creating a ripple effect of awareness and wellness on campus. She made sure students had access to the kind of information and support that they aren't always aware of so that they know what resources are available to them within our community.

Emma Wood amongst a successfully executed event. 

 Thanks to Emma’s vision and determination and the support of BETA and faculty members like Ms. Carter, the Osborne Health and Wellness Fair is poised to become a new tradition at OHS—one that celebrates student voice, community partnership, and the power of taking care of yourself and others.

OHS Students testing their fitness