Starting on May 6 and to May 9, the PSO Leadership class hosted noon-hour events to promote self-help strategies and to allow students to take a break from the stress of school.
The week started off with a quiet hour in the library. Students who don’t like the noise of the cafeteria could enjoy a quiet lunch with tea and cookies.
On Tuesday, students were treated to pizza, provided by the PSO PAC and Canim Lake Band, and beverages donated by Safeway. Members from different community groups, including the Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD) and Cariboo Family Enrichment Centre came to provide professional resources on mental health and stress management strategies. In addition, students were given the opportunity to create their own ‘stress-reducing kits’ with stress balls, tea and hot chocolate.
On Wednesday, a yoga session was held by Mrs. Langton, a PSO counsellor and certified yoga instructor. The week concluded with calming crafts, where students could partake in activities such as bracelets, colouring pages and origami.
Over the week, students were also able to write ‘Nice Notes’ and share different ways to manage their mental health. The Nice Notes were sticky notes with kind messages written on them that were then spread around the school. Students were able to share how they manage their own mental health on sticky notes, with the hope that it will hopefully help others deal with stress and help them feel that they aren’t alone.
#GetLoud For Mental Health is significant because high school can be an environment where stress and anxiety are prominent, and students can benefit from knowing that they aren’t alone in their feelings and that there are self-management strategies and professional resources in town to help.
The leadership class was excited to organize and host this event and did their best to accommodate their peers who need more support in managing day-to-day stressors.
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