some info booths and interactive and educational activities for the school. Her hope is that these efforts will spark more conversation between students and administration on how mental health resources could be further improved. Phebe Cox, a senior at Gunn High School, is the president of the club “Bring Change to Mind,” which is dedicated to challenging the stigma around mental health and bringing up conversation on various mental health issues. Cox prepares for the upcoming school year with the hope to organize more club-oriented activities. She is also focused on creating an environment in which students feel safe when discussing these sensitive topics. Cox additionally comments on Gunn High School’s mental health resources — including a new building with the top floor dedicated to being a wellness center for students. “I thought that was a really good step in the right direction,” Cox said. Gunn junior Haleigh Brosnan agrees that the schools have been working towards helping their students, but she also has some ideas of her own. After reading the article “The Silicon Valley Suicides” in The Atlantic, Brosnan wishes that there were more educational parent meetings on issues of mental health. Brosnan believes that the competitive environment is built off of the desire to live up to their parents’ high standards and then comparing those standards to that of one’s peers. “The district has to do a better job of reaching out to parents because parents often know their child better than Teacher Advisors know their students.” Along with these new and improved changes within the school community, there are other solutions that students have found to cope with stress and anxiety in their everyday lives. Brosnan took advantage of her school’s Wellness Center where she would grab tea and relax; at home, listening to music and doing her makeup were her remedies for stress. Students don’t always use the school’s resources and may choose methods of relaxation and consolation outside of school. Paly freshman Kellyn Scheel is currently adjusting to high school life with the
help of her friends and family. “I’m feeling a little scattered at the moment, but that doesn’t necessarily mean bad,” Scheel said. “There’s definitely a lot going on in my head right now, considering I just moved to a new school and I’m trying to figure out everything with the workload, sports and social things, but it’s also very exciting.” Scheel has found that staying organized helps ease her mind. “When I have things written down and organized and in a planner, it helps me find time to fit everything in, which leaves me a lot of other time where I can do things that help me out socially or with my anxiety,” Scheel said. “Paly makes it pretty easy to communicate and email and get to teachers whenever you need to.” Like many other students, Scheel finds time in her schedule to participate in activ-
subjects of the technological center of the world. “All of the arts have become a really big part of my life and are usually how I collect myself because they help me get out of the chaos,” Scheel said. From the organization of activities to making time for relaxation, Paly and surrounding high schools are continuously making an effort towards integrating mental health awareness into their communities. More than ever before, parents, teachers and even the students themselves are working to strike a balance between challenging adolescents and finding their utmost limits. Through this process, media attention and disagreements are inevitable but despite these obstacles, it is important to keep in mind for whom we are fighting: our students and their futures.
“All of the arts have become a really big part of my life and are usually how I collect myself because [the arts] help me get out of the chaos.” — Scheel ities that help clear her mind and relax. “I play the guitar and I also play the piano,” Scheel said. “They’re a way to calm down.” Scheel understands the importance of creative outlets. Her ability to relax and take a step away from her school work ultimately stimulates new thinking. “I also write a lot of poetry and it helps get everything out of my head in a way that makes sense to me,” Scheel said. For many, exploration of the arts can serve as a break from the heavy STEM emphasis present in the Bay Area, especially for those who don’t resonate with the
If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health please contact the following support services: 24/7 Teen Crisis Hotline: 1-888-247-7717 SCC Suicide Crisis Hotline: 1-855-2784204
29
