Girls and Boys and Gender and Male and Female Mammals are also available in select Florida Public Libraries:

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• A must read for ages 10 - 17
• Handout
• 2 pages
• Color
• Author: Dr. Sharon Fair

Silver Lake Academy was founded on the shared commitment to wellness of two siblings: Michael James Cianelli Fair and Sharon Elayne Cianelli Fair.

Although neither sibling had encountered the World Health Organization’s (WHO) 1947 definition of health as a triad of physical, mental, and social well-being, nor the term “wellness” coined by 

Halbert Dunn, MD, PhD in 1961, they already held a clear set of convictions.  They believed exercise should be pursued for the positive effects it produces rather than simply to win competitions; that happiness belongs in the present moment (a concept later known as 

FLOW); that time with family should remain a priority; and that humans, as the enlightened species, bear responsibility for the good in the world—to include the ethical treatment of animals. 

In 1978, Sharon and Michael moved to Orlando, FL - a city quite different from their hometown of Havre de Grace, MD. While Sharon continued her collegiate studies including English literature, writing, psychology, and the philosophies of Plato, Nietzsche, and others; Michael self-studied Zen philosophy, including the concept of yin and yang, and Carlos Castaneda. In 1980, Sharon relocated to St. Petersburg, FL to compete her undergraduate education at the University of South Florida and Michael set out to become a Green Beret. Within a year, Michael was one of the "3 of 100" men who succeeded! 

After graduating with a Bachelor's degree "with distinction" from the University of South Florida at St. Petersburg in 1981, Sharon and Michael co-founded "Florida Fitness," which Sharon later registered as a health business entity in the state of Florida. The goal of the siblings was to expand the scope of the organization upon Michael's discharge from the military. 

Sadly, the siblings' joint journey ended when, in 1983, Michael was killed in Morocco while serving the USA in their early efforts to train and assist the Moroccan military to eradicate middle eastern terrorist groups. According to some sources, these early middle eastern groups are linked to the terrorists responsible for the 911 attack. 

Upon the tragic death of her brother, Sharon turned to fitness wellness as a means to cope with her grief.  In 1984, she obtained certification from the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and began to offer small group fitness seminars and personal training. Upon gaining additional experience and credentials (including a Master of Science in nutrition and exercise science from the City University of New York - Queens College, a B.S. in physical therapy from the University of Maryland Medical School, a Doctorate in psychology (PsyD) from California Southern University, and a PhD in education from Capella University), she transitioned Florida Fitness into the nonprofit corporation Wellness Society. In 2026, the organization started to do business as Silver Lake Academy.