On Friday, April 29th, Penn-Trafford High School’s student-led mental health awareness group, Active Minds, sponsored the ‘Celebration of Wellness’ event for all 9th-12th grade students. The event took place at Warrior Stadium and was funded through a grant from STEP UP Westmoreland.
The goal of the event was to bring attention to the mental health needs of students and to break down the stigma surrounding mental health. It was a day to celebrate personal wellness through student engagement, healthy activity, and mindfulness.
Active Minds senior leaders Jesse Bridge, Maura Suman, McKenzie Rapp, and Madison Rapp organized the event with the support of the school administration and the school counseling department.
Sisters McKenzie and Madison Rapp commented, “The teachers, counselors, staff, and resources here at Penn-Trafford are available to you for the help you need and will support you every step of the way.” Maura Suman added, “We have noticed a lot of stress and anxiety build up in our school recently and felt that everyone needed some time to relax and de-stress.” She then invited the students to de-stress with activities such as spikeball, cornhole, and a visit to McFeely’s Arctic Ice truck.
The Celebration of Wellness was a culminating event in response to the need for more mental health services for students. Initiated earlier in the school year, additional group and individual counseling was offered for all high school students. Parents were also invited after school to listen to speakers on the topic of youth mental health including Ryan Klingensmith of Shape the Sky and Jordan Cocoran of Listen Lucy. The school district plans to continue additional mental health services and the Parent Speaker Series next year.
