Wellness Olympics

Strengthening Connections Through Well-being

An Olympic-style event that energized employees, built camaraderie, and celebrated workplace wellness.

Wellness Olympics was the organization’s first ever Olympic style event for employees across the South Texas region, created in collaboration with the Brownsville Independent School District and the Wellness Department at Southwest Key Programs. The event was designed to promote physical activity, strengthen employee relationships, and celebrate well-being in the workplace. Staff came together for a day of connection, friendly competition, and fun, with more than 10 games including tug of war, long jump, a 100 meter dash, basketball challenges, and team relays. Food trucks lined the event space offering local flavors, while wellness programming emphasized movement, mindfulness, and motivation.

As the Internal Communications Manager, I served as the primary point of contact for the communications team, coordinated logistics, and ensured smooth collaboration across regional stakeholders. I captured photography and videography, conducted interviews with participants, and worked closely with the multimedia team to produce the final event video. I also collaborated with the copywriter and Social Media Manager to review and publish content across online platforms.

Through this initiative, I applied my skills in time management, employee engagement, and creative communications to deliver an experience that left employees feeling energized, appreciated, and more connected, reinforcing the organization’s commitment to health, camaraderie, and community.

Together We Made it Happen

Communications Team
  • Chief of Communications
  • Internal Communications Manager
  • Brand & Project Manager
  • Social Media Manager
  • Graphic Design and Production Specialist
  • Multimedia Specialist
  • Copywriter
National Stakeholders
  • Unaccompanied Children’s (UC) Program Division
  • Legal
  • Human Resources
  • Employee and Community Engagement
Regional Stakeholders
  • Wellness & Benefits Coordinators
  • Community Engagement Coordinators
  • South Texas UC Programs
External Stakeholders
  • Brownsville Independent School District

Project Insights

I learned that leadership means stepping up as both a strategist and a collaborator. By taking responsibility for coordination, supporting colleagues, and ensuring every department’s contribution was valued, I saw how leadership builds trust and creates space for collective success.

Covering the event on my own was the biggest challenge. With so many activities happening at once, I had to adjust quickly to changes and shift my itinerary in real time. By staying focused on the priorities identified by stakeholders and keeping an adaptable mindset, I was able to capture the event in a way that was both creative and holistic.

I applied my skills in event coordination, employee engagement, and creative communications. I also used photography, videography, interviewing techniques, and project management tools to capture the event and ensure smooth coordination with stakeholders.

This project required me to provide communications coverage on my own at a large-scale, in-person event with many moving parts. It pushed me to balance logistics and creative storytelling at the same time, while staying flexible to adapt to unexpected challenges on the day of the event.

The event energized employees, promoted physical and mental well-being, and strengthened workplace connections. It reinforced the organization’s commitment to health, camaraderie, and community while giving staff a day to feel appreciated and connected.

I will apply the lesson of balancing logistics and creativity to future initiatives. This project showed me the value of building systems that allow space for storytelling and engagement while keeping operations running smoothly.

I am most proud of capturing an experience that not only ran successfully but also left employees feeling valued and inspired. The joy and connection that came through the event validated the work and highlighted the power of intentional employee engagement.

Employees shared that the event made them feel recognized and motivated, and stakeholders appreciated the level of coordination and creative energy that went into it. This feedback reinforced the importance of capturing experiences that balance operational excellence with human connection.

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