Wellfit Girls Reach New Heights on Machu Picchu and at Home
As adults, we are the sum of our experiences. For a group of high school girls from Collier and Lee Counties, a program called Wellfit Girls has catapulted them toward adulthood in the most powerful way: life-changing experiences that helped them realize their full potential.
Wellfit Girls is a five-month program for high school girls that teaches fitness, leadership, and empowerment, and culminates in a trip to Machu Picchu in Peru. Created by Jill Wheeler in 2014, Wellfit led 21 teens to the summit this summer.
“This is a program for any girl who wants to gain confidence or knows [she’s] capable of more but just hasn’t figured out how to get there,” said Colby Hazewinkel, executive director of Wellfit. “It’s not a therapy program. The girls who join this program are the girls that want to take that next step as a leader. Some girls who look at this program just see a fitness program or a cool trip, but the real impact comes from the girls who want the change and want to put in the work.”
And it is a lot of work. The girls meet twice a week for 20 weeks. Meetings focus on teaching leadership and working on fitness goals. Each girl is also responsible for raising $500 toward the Peru trip, and is guided through the process. Full and partial scholarships to fund the remainder of the cost make it possible for girls from any socio-economic background to participate.
The program culminates in a trip to Cusco, Peru, where the girls participate in a community service project with Peru’s Challenge. They then turn their attention to one of the Seven Wonders of the World: Machu Picchu, where they climb on foot to the top of the mountain. This international travel, according to Hazewinkel, allows these girls to fully “disconnect with the known and connect with the unknown.”
Growing stronger
Over five months, the girls worked to grow physically stronger through workouts with a personal trainer and yoga. They also grew stronger emotionally with weekly leadership sessions. Wellfit helps instill confidence in the girls by utilizing a method of incremental success; during the first few months of the program, the girls train for their Easter 5K fundraiser. This first hurdle shows the girls that when they set a goal and work toward it, they will achieve it. This is a huge step in getting the girls to believe they can get to the summit in Peru.
For Avorie Anderson, a 16-year-old student at Lely High School, the 5K was her best moment. “I had always really struggled to run, and to finish the race with a great time was a game changer for me. My mindset completely altered after that.” While fitness is certainly a major component, without the shift to a healthier mindset, the girls wouldn’t be able to climb the mountain. As Hazewinkel explained, “we’re going from zero to 15,200 feet. They have to have that training.”
Another vital component of the program is fundraising, as it teaches the girls to advocate for themselves through social entrepreneurship. But for Shelly Westervelt, a recent graduate of Seacrest Country Day School, it was the thing she struggled with most. Outside of fundraisers for clubs in school, she had never done anything like this. “This was different because I was fundraising alone. It was harder for me and I struggled with it, but Wellfit taught me fundraising skills. In one of my one-on-one meetings with my leader, she helped me realize that … my problem was that I was afraid to ask people for money. She explained to me that she wants me to be comfortable asking for money because she also wants me to be comfortable asking for pay raises or jobs in the future. There were so many implications that I never really considered. The experience made me more confident talking about and dealing with money and jobs in general.”
On to Peru
Once the girls finished putting in the work at home, they finally got to see their hard work pay off in Peru. But Peru is not just a fun trip; the girls helped with one of two community service projects, with one group painting a community service center and the other building a roof for a local family. The work was physically demanding but rewarding. “Peru really changed my view on how we live,” said Lilly Metsch, a 16-year-old Barron Collier High School student. “Seeing the Peruvians seem more like a family than a community is something I cherished on the trip. I never felt more welcomed by a group of people.”
Once they finished their community service projects, it was finally time to climb the mountain – the moment they have all been training for, and the moment all of the girls remember as the highlight of the entire experience. The trip wasn’t easy, even with all of their training, but with the support of their fellow Wellfit Girls and their leaders, they all made it to the summit. Zya Crawford, a 17-year-old Gulf Coast High Schooler, remembers that they each picked up a rock and said what they wanted to let go in their lives – like doubt, fear, or anger – and threw the rock as far as possible off the mountain. She describes it as “the best feeling ever.”
During the hike, the girls pushed through several difficult moments. When climbing up the mountain, Westervelt’s sister had to get oxygen and was throwing up due to bad asthma, but, according to Westervelt, that was the moment she most resembled a Wellfit Girl because she was pushing on even with the odds against her.
Avorie Anderson also had a meaningful moment that demonstrated what the program is all about. Hiking down Machu Picchu, “my knee gave out and I rolled my ankle. I had hit my hip and elbows really hard against the steps,” she said. But once again, the program saw her through as her fellow hikers carried her, literally this time, down to the bottom.
“The girls that were in Wellfit with me are surely what got me through the hardships,” Anderson said. “We made instant connections as if we had known each other for years and we supported one another through thick and thin.”
The importance of Wellfit
The girls who reached the summit this past June recognize how Wellfit changed their lives, and are eager to encourage other teens to take the same journey. “This program is important because as girls grow up, so many lose self-confidence,” said Zya Crawford. “Our world is so artificial and it’s all about image. This program is an oasis from the influences in society and tells girls that no matter who you are and where you come from, you can do anything in this life.”
Avorie Anderson agreed. “This program is extremely important because the lessons we are taught help with leadership and group skills, and they help us through common issues that young girls face, such as body image. It is extremely important for young women to feel comfortable in their own skin, especially with all of the negativity and body shaming on social media platforms.”
Westervelt cautioned, “If someone is on the fence about doing the program because … they don’t have enough time, then don’t join. But if [you] are looking for personal growth, new leadership skills, fitness skills, and great quality bonds, then it is the perfect program and one [you] should definitely join.”
According to Lilly Metsch: “This is an experience of a lifetime. The memories you will make with the girls and everyone you meet will impact who you become. This trip will change you for the better.”
Climbing high
Hazewinkel was not surprised that so many girls chose the final challenge of the 10-day expedition to Peru as the highlight of their trip. She explained that the mountain is a metaphor showing that these girls can climb high in all areas of life. They put the girls in a very challenging environment that makes them uncomfortable, and they learn that when they’re uncomfortable, transformation is occurring. They learn they can really accomplish anything, no matter what the future has in store.
All of the girls are excited for what comes next for them. Shelly Westervelt is heading off to University of Florida and can’t wait for the chance to get messy in her life instead of always worrying about perfection. Zya Crawford wants to channel the work ethic and dedication she has learned into studying journalism and photography at the University of Miami. Lilly Metsch is excited to use her new skills to show girls that they can be strong, independent, and do things they never thought they could do. Avorie Anderson looks forward to continuing her Wellfit mentality as she progresses through the new alumni program, Beyond the Summit. The girls will keep in touch with the mentors through their ups and downs, and they also get to serve as mentors themselves to the next group of Wellfit Girls.
For teen girls who want to get involved, visit the Wellfit open house on August 22 at 5:30 p.m. at the Community Foundation of Collier County, 1150 Pine Ridge Rd. More information is available at wellfitgirls.org, or you can email colby@wellfitgirls.org.