Building an Ecosystem: Prioritizing adolescent mental health.

Laughter floats down the hallway of the Long Academic Building, paired with the sound of feet stomping in unison to the rhythm of an upbeat song. Clapping and cheering follows as the song ends, and a group of out-of-breath students turn to each other and exclaim, “That was so much fun! Same time next week?” They pack up the laptop propped on a desk displaying the video of the dance they all just completed and wave goodbye to Millicent Sheets, Math Department Chair.

For 35 minutes every Friday, Gunston has a special extended advisory period called Community, Belonging and Leadership (CBL). Activities range depending on the day, weather, and advisor, but the overall goal remains the same — to provide increased student-advisor and student-to-student connection with the aim of promoting purpose, meaningful discussion, and fun. These activities have included everything from outdoor activities such as disc golf, hikes, scavenger hunts, to art projects, yoga and more. A student favorite is advisory challenges where different groups challenge each other to some type of competition such as pictionary or a spelling bee.

“Another favorite is any kind of athletic competition,” said Ms. Sheets. “It really builds camaraderie, and because we have different age groups in each advisory, it fosters student-to-student mentorships. Many juniors and seniors spend their time giving advice and pointers to younger students on lots of things.” Additionally, each week focuses concurrently on different leadership positions within the Student Government Association, Class Meetings, and National Honor Society.

Another advantage of these small advisory groups is they serve as a safe space for students to have difficult conversations and ask questions without fear of judgment or embarrassment. “Community norms have been set in your advisory room and what is said in there stays in there,” explains Ms. Sheets. “Advisory is your home base. We build deep, meaningful relationships with our advisees.” Ms. Sheets is part of the CBL planning cohort that also includes Science Department Chair Adele Showalter, Science Teacher Sara Grantham, and Assistant Head of School Christie Grabis.

According to recent research by the Kaiser Family Foundation, the number of adolescents experiencing anxiety and/or depression has increased by one-third since 2016, with higher rates among girls. The adolescent suicide rate has risen by 62% since 2010, with a similar rise in rates of self-harm behavior like cutting. Suicide is now the second leading cause of death among teenagers. Finally, drug overdose deaths doubled from 2019 to 2020, even as the use of other substances (alcohol and tobacco) has recently declined.

Rigor,

In response to this, at the end of 2021 the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and the Children’s Hospital Association (CHA) declared a National State of Emergency in Children’s Mental Health.

Increased student-advisor and student-to-student connection.

• Training to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illness and substance use disorders.

• 10th grade students complete an adolescent depression awareness program through Johns Hopkins University.

of School

As a result, the school developed seven pillars of Gunston’s approach, including some meaningful changes made this year to support student development:

• Academics + Arts + Athletics

• Formal Orientation

Chesapeake Bay Studies

Gunston Experience & Wellness

Multi-year College Guidance Program

• Formal Learning Center with Academic Support

Clubs focused on community wellbeing include:

Mental Health Awareness Club

• Student Diversity Leaders Club

• Christian Athletes Club

• Gender Spectrum Alliance

student + parents + school + consultants

Gunston’s program, culture, and campus have been intentionally created to reinforce psychological “protective factors.” These factors have been carefully studied and documented by psychologists over time: the promotion of healthy self-regard and reliable family support; a culture that supports academic and personal achievement; participation in clubs, sports, and religious activities; appropriate behavioral limits; a safe and supportive peer culture; and strong relational attachments to teachers and healthy adult mentors. Additionally, Gunston’s 75-acre waterfront campus plays a meaningful role in student wellness, as there is compelling research on the connection between access to green space and mental health.

Targeted social media education. Since 2012 (the year smartphone ownership exceeded 50%), trend lines associated with adolescent depression, anxiety, and suicide started bending dramatically upward. At the same time, trends associated with substance use, teen pregnancy, and risky sexual behavior went in the opposite direction. As we work to support our students as they navigate the relationship between technology and their social experiences, this year Gunston is partnering with The Social Institute (TSI). TSI offers engaging programming and school policy support, and their mission is to “empower students to navigate their social world positively…to fuel their health, happiness, and future success.”

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Partnership with Freedom from Chemical Dependency (FCD). FCD’s research-based “social norms” approach provides students and the adults who care for them with the knowledge, understanding and skills they need to make intelligent, healthy choices about alcohol, tobacco and other drug use. Each year, Gunston invites FCD to campus for an engaging multi-day educational program, and we regularly conduct FCD’s Student Attitudes and Behavior Survey—an anonymous 50-question instrument built to scientifically measure students’ actual attitudes and behavior with regard to alcohol and other drugs, as well as their perceptions of the behavior and attitudes of their classmates.

Gunston’s curriculum and program also includes an orientation, The Gunston Experience Course—which focuses on personal, social, and academic growth—as well as a Wellness course, a multi-year College Guidance curriculum, a week-long Bay Studies outdoor learning program, and a formal Learning Center that provides academic support.

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Extended Advisory (CBL). Since our founding, Gunston’s advisory program has been a cornerstone of emotional support and connection for students. Over the past year, a team of Gunston teachers and administrators has been participating in a program led by notables like Dr. William Damon, who runs the Stanford Center on Adolescence, to further enhance our advisory programming. This year we are integrating a new extended advisory period called “Community, Belonging, and Leadership” (CBL), to provide increased student-advisor and student-to-student connection with the aim of promoting purpose, meaningful discussion, and fun.

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Student-led clubs with a focus on community wellbeing. Some of our most impactful health and wellness programming is student-designed and student-led. Our Mental Health Awareness Club leads initiatives like our anti-bullying Unity Day and Mental Health Awareness Week. Our Student Diversity Leadership Club supports the values articulated in our Diversity statement, and coordinates our dynamic annual Global Awareness Day. Our Christian Athletes Club is a forum to explore the connection between athletics and spiritual values and ways to give back to the community. Finally, our Gender Spectrum Alliance offers a supportive space for students, and aims to mitigate the unique mental health risks faced by students in the LBGTQ+ community.

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Mental Health First Aid For Youth. A number of our faculty and staff are certified in a national program sponsored by the National Council of Mental Wellness that instructs educators how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders. The training helps develop the skills needed to reach out and provide initial help and support to someone who may be developing a mental health or substance use problem or experiencing a crisis. Meanwhile, all 10th grade students complete an adolescent depression awareness program during The Gunston Experience offered through Johns Hopkins University.

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Consulting Psychologist. Dr. Tana Clarke, Waypoint Wellness Center’s co-founder and CEO, is a clinical psychologist specializing in children and adolescents, and oversees all of Waypoint’s services. A Waypoint clinician is on-site weekly to meet with students individually, or in small groups, to help with their functioning at school. In addition, their team works closely with school staff to integrate wellness policies and programs into the school environment. This includes skills training for student mindfulness, self-regulation, stress management, and self-care; addressing peer conflict; identifying social, emotional, or learning challenges; crisis and risk monitoring and assessment; screening for the need for outside mental health services; and assisting with connecting families to necessary health services.

Although we live in an era where adolescent mental health is a significant public health concern, there is also a growing acceptance around speaking openly and supportively about mental health. Given the impact of mental wellness on long-term student outcomes, Gunston will continue to review and revise our programming as social changes and research suggest.

Gunston’s Mental Health Ecosystem and its initiatives are generously supported by a grant from the Murray Foundation.

“Gunston’s waterfront is central to our school’s identity, curriculum, and program. It extends a campus shoreline where so many students have thrived over the years, including me when I was a student here. Let me again acknowledge our Board of Trustees for their vision and skill over the past few months. This was a complex process, and the Board never lost sight of the acquisition’s long-term benefits to the school.”

–Board Chair Patrick Shoemaker ’03