In a week full of reflection as well as physical and mental challenges, the 2026 Mindful and Fit Project Week taught me to become comfortable in my discomfort. Throughout the week, Upper School Spanish teacher Leticia Resendiz and Upper School French teacher Sébastien Caux led 15 students throughout Chicago, discovering the best places to recharge both our bodies and our minds.
Before Project Week began, we had the pleasure of meeting Gideon Akande, a Chicago-based fitness coach who kept us motivated throughout the week. His contagious enthusiasm and catchphrase “Get Fit with Giddy” always kept the energy high.
Alongside Gideon, Chicago yoga teacher Katy Hanlon led us through meditation at the start of each day. Katy taught the importance of concentrating on our breath during meditation. Throughout the week, she taught us different forms of meditation, such as box breathing, and other mindfulness exercises that made us more in tune with each other and with our own bodies.
Carrying this mindfulness throughout the day, we trained our bodies through yoga and various exercises. Throughout the week, we participated in different workout classes, such as a strength class led by Gideon at fitness studio Yoga 2.0, and my favorite, a class at TITLE boxing club.
I was shocked by how much I enjoyed TITLE boxing. The boxing bags, lined up and down the center of the gym, appeared too much for me to handle, and when I first punched the bag, it barely moved. Initially discouraged, I grew to enjoy the class through the rhythm of the music and Gideon's relentless encouragement. By the end of the workout, I felt accomplished, and I hope to return.
Some members of the project had similar moments of doubt with meditation at the beginning of the week. Essential oils and partner stretches are not familiar to most, so some found the experience uncomfortable at first. However, in the judgment-free space Katy created, we were able to step outside of our comfort zones and grow more in touch with our minds and breath.
Mindful and Fit also explored fitness in less conventional ways, such as taking an ice skating class at the Fifth Third Arena—where we watched the Chicago Blackhawks practice—and having fun at Activate, an indoor game center full of real-life challenges like laser tag and puzzle solving. The week would not have been complete without food from many restaurants that have nutrition at the forefront of the menu, including True Food Kitchen and fan favorite Sweetgreen.
Whether I was slipping on the ice, picking up a set of dumbbells, or opening my eyes from meditation, Mindful and Fit taught me that growth begins the moment we step outside of what's familiar.
