Elizabeth Markworth, staff
According to the CDC, nearly one-third, or 29% of students struggle with mental health.
Three SBHS students involved in FCCLA have chosen to speak up and inform teens about mental health, why it matters and solutions to aid their struggles.
“Mental health is a topic that is highly overlooked. It is looked at as more of a problem rather than a reality,” Avery Fogelman (11) said. “Each person deserves to be educated and supported throughout the time they may be struggling.”
Taylor Keyes (10), Nellie Wetsit (10), and Fogelman are promoting awareness about mental health. They have spent the past several months educating and presenting to eighth grade students about mental health and the transition from middle school to high school. The presentations took place at Sturgis Williams Middle School from January and into April.
Members focused on educating eighth graders, because they know about and have already experienced stress that occurs due to the transition from middle school to high school.
“Mental health is a very important topic. I think transitioning from middle school to high school can be a very scary experience and middle schoolers need all the support and care they can get,” Wetsit said.
The members took numerous hours to create a slideshow, talking about what mental health is, different kinds of stress, how stress can be handled, signs of weak mental health and why exactly mental health matters.
“I knew immediately that I wanted to do a project focusing on mental health,” Keyes said. “I feel a lot of eighth grade students are stressed about going into high school and it is important for them to know they are cared for and not alone.”
When the presentation was completed, the team felt as if they made a difference and have hope that students will use information from this presentation to their benefit.
“Doing this project really showed me how a few students can tremendously affect younger individuals’ high school experiences,” Keyes said. “It is important to talk about mental health in order to address the problem and help students understand they aren’t the only ones that might be feeling that way.”
FCCLA members collected surveys from the eighth grade students after each presentation to evaluate the effectiveness of their program. The information gathered will be included in their portfolio, which they will take to the FCCLA state convention on April 23.
“Completing this project showed me why we started it in the first place. It showed the importance of talking about emotions and stress,” Fogelman said.
The efforts of these FCCLA members are commendable as mental health is a pressing issue that needs to be addressed more often in schools and in communities. It is essential to raise awareness and provide support for individuals who may be struggling with mental health issues.
By educating the 8th-grade students, these FCCLA members are making a difference in their community and helping to break down the stigma surrounding mental health.
“After this project, I had a better understanding of the number of students who feel stressed about going to high school. It showed me how important it is to promote mental health awareness,” Wetsit said.
On Jan. 17 in math instructor Dan Skinner’s classroom at Sturgis Williams Middle School, FCCLA members Avery Fogelman (11), Nellie Wetsit (10) and Taylor Keyes (10) talk with eighth graders about mental health. Creation and implementation of this project was to inform, help and promote open communication about the topic. photo by Dan Skinner
