This year there is much conversation around the mental health of students, teachers and administrators. We applaud your work, your efforts, your caring spirit! One of the most powerful ways to use Lead4Change is to engage students in the issues and solutions that repair and strengthen mental health capacity of all.
Through the lessons your students will also learn to recognize and work on their mental health. The lessons give them activities for coping, resilience, communication, collaboration and more! Find our SEL Alignment Guides (6-lesson and 12-lesson) in Member Resources.
Look at a few examples that have inspired us and celebrated the power of the emerging leader.
Students at Wantagh Middle School created a Restorative Room in their school. They persuaded administrators to give them one room to decorate and equip with music and aroma to create a peaceful environment. The most unique part of their idea was to melt old, broken candles and add scent to create the aromatherapy candles. School staff rotate availability near the room allowing students to take 10 minute breaks when school feels overwhelming.
Students at Winton Woods Middle School convinced their principal to let them redecorate the waiting room outside of the Principal’s Office. We can all understand when they say that this was the “most stressful room in the school.” They changed the color and furniture to create a more relaxed, low anxiety environment.
Students at Design and Architecture Senior High have completed a variety of projects including “No More Stalling”, which was adopted by the entire school district so that 44,000 signs showing mental health hotline numbers could be posted in every bathroom stall.
And the projects that focus on food equity and security meet a tangible need in every school. Students at Babb Middle School redesigned the Weekend Food Plan to provide additional and necessary solutions for large families or students in need of extra weekend food. Taking responsibility for themselves and their peers is a noble cause for 6-12th graders.
We are happy to connect you with a team to share ideas or learn more about their efforts. Let’s commit to letting students be involved in the issues and need around us. You will be awed by what they see and the change they make!