Mental health issues affects a significant portion of the population on a day to day basis. To combat this, State High hosts Mental Health Summits throughout the year, offering relaxing activities to improve students’ mental health. While this is a more laid-back day for everyone, the summit should include more resources to help with mental health issues.
Several students have mentioned that they wished the summit focused less on games and more on coping mechanisms to solve their problems. Adding this to the summit, especially right before the long awaited winter break, is a great way to ease out of the school mindset and into the break mindset; but if it is dedicated to our mental health, there should be more activities to actually improve it.
There were 28 stations during this winter’s summit, which included making slime with Morgan’s Message, stress ball creation with Key Club, basketball, ping pong and yard games, origami, and bracelet making with the Jana Marie Foundation. While these are all fun ways to spend the summit with friends or even just by yourself, there aren’t many resources dedicated specifically to mental health.
“I enjoyed the Mental Health Summit, but if the main goal was to help students improve their mental health, I don’t think the summit was beneficial. I would have rather took the two hours to sleep in,” sophomore Matthew Gaul said.
Mental health issues are a big problem in society today and the weight of problems can easily consume you without reaching the right help or resources. While State High does offer resources through the counseling office and other services, the summit serves as more of a fun last day before break. Instead of labeling the event for mental health, it should be relabeled as more of a fun/game day.
“I like the idea of the Mental Health Summit, and I do enjoy the games and movies, but I think it is a waste of time because you don’t actually learn how to deal with mental health topics,” junior Marina Rubin Bellicanta said.
On the other hand, some students do think the summit is beneficial.
“I think the Mental Health Summit is a nice way to end the week before break because having a relaxing day is nice,” Mackinzie Stocker said.
While the event may be relaxing, ultimately, the Mental Health Summit is more of a fun substitute for class, opposed to the two hours being spent helping students with their mental health related issues.
