An important topic to advocate more for is mental health. As a society today, we don’t talk enough about the importance of mental health and at Centennial high school, some either believe we talk about it too much or not at all.
Whenever the morning announcements come on through the school’s intercom, you never once hear the words “mental health awareness” come through. At Centennial, students and teachers don’t realize the lack of mention.
“I dont think it’s brought up enough, no,” Mackenzie Susi stated, “we are not breaking down the stigma of it [mental health] enough at school.” The “stigma” and how to get rid of it is openly talking about mental health. Common questions of why Centennial not advocating enough for it may purely be because some people are uncomfortable talking about it, which is normal. We have little resources for students, there’s our counselors, the schools psychologist, and our schools therapist but with no mention of them how will students know who to talk to
“I think there are certain aspects that get brought up, but no one pays attention to it,” Nathalia Vazquez said, “we have one advisory class that covers mental health throughout the whole year and that’s the only time it’s really talked about.” Having only one class on one random Wednesday throughout the nine months we are in school to talk vaguely about mental health seems unrealistic. We need to start bringing the topic of mental health further to the table. We need to get people listening and to make it more known. Centennial can push harder with mental health. It shouldn’t be a topic to shy away from, especially because the resources we have, have to be talked about for the students who need it and may not know about it.
“I think the most we can do, especially in this weird time of growing up,” Susi says, “let there be more mentors, teachers, or even counselors that are actually helpful because a lot of students don’t have a connection with any of them now.” Bringing in more teachers, mentors, or counselors that are there for the students´ mental health care sounds like a good way to start bringing more awareness to the topic. Having professionals that are easy/safer to trust for students may feel like a whole new greater solution.
“Trying to put the way a panic or anxiety attack may feel into words can help anyone understand better.” Vazquez states. While spreading awareness about mental health, explaining different ways and things that contribute to decreasing your mental health is so important. And bringing in professionals such as more mentors and counselors that are more experienced in a certain topic may guide this school to success in finally getting better help and awareness to this topic. Students at Centennial were asked the simple question of “Do you know when mental health awareness month is” and all of them either said “no” or confused it with suicide awareness month.
If we see Centennial try to change their ways and help students and falculty learn more about mental health, it will help make this school better. As a community we need to express the importance of mental health and start taking a stand for it. Whether its clubs, or bringing in more help, it needs to be shown. The importance for growth of mental health needs to be shown.