bi3 awards 11 area high schools funding for World Teen Mental Wellness Day
bi3 and the Hamilton County Commission on Women & Girls announced funding awards for 11 Hamilton County high schools to foster student engagement for World Teen Mental Wellness Day. Each school will receive $500 to support the student-led ideas that will provide mental health awareness, resources and skills.
Mental health struggles, especially anxiety and depression, are common in teenagers. However, findings show that stigma prevents many teens from seeking help. Many don’t know the resources available in their own schools and communities, and too few know how to engage in self-care. World Teen Mental Wellness Day is observed annually on March 2 to raise awareness for the mental health issues teenagers face daily, promote mental wellness, determine solutions and raise awareness.
Schools receiving funding and planned activities include:
- Anderson High School: Give out stress relieving tools such as coloring books, fidget toys, etc. and creating a week-long “mental health tic-tac-toe board” challenge for students
- Dohn Community High School’s Keeping Teen Moms in School Program: Dedicate the day to journaling and reflection by distributing notebooks and pens and hosting a local writer to inspire and guide the students in their activities
- Madeira High School: Promote mental health training and resources with stickers, info cards and social media support
- Mercy McAuley High School: Create wellness stations that include activities like yoga, making glitter jars, making stress balls, meditation, giving out information about 988. etc., as well as host a get-to-know-your-guidance counselor session during lunch so that students feel more comfortable going to their guidance counselors when they are struggling
- Northwest High School: Create a “wellness room” containing self-care stations for students to experience, learn about and adopt various self-care practices
- Reading Junior Senior High School’s New Sources of Strength program: Distribute suicide prevention awareness bracelets printed with resource information
- Riverview East Academy: Organize a mental health assembly to educate students about what mental illnesses are, what signs to look for and how to help themselves and their friends; present the mental health services available at school and ways students can seek out support; and lead a large Kahoot with prizes for students who are engaged and participating
- Robert A. Taft High School: Plan an entire week of activities including watching a short film created by and starring JCG students that highlights mental wellness and mental illness
- Saint Ursula Academy: Display positive mental health awareness posters in school halls and classrooms, as well as host a featured guest speaker
- St. Xavier High School’s The Source of Strength student group: Hand out 988 stickers or bracelets, hang a banner promoting the 988 hotline, share an announcement during homeroom about 988 and its intended purpose and mission, as well as play classical or calming music between bells and promoting lunch/flextime activities like yoga in the big gym, hike through the woods, meditation in the chapel, or journaling in an assigned room
- Walnut Hills High School: Encourage students to participate in self-care with distributed stress balls and mini-journals
