Students in the Massapequa School District are marking Mental Health Awareness Month in May with a variety of service projects, including at the high school’s Ames Campus and Unqua Elementary School.
At Ames, the Active Minds, Chiefs Challenge and 3D Printing clubs came together to create a hallway display.
The large banners feature green ribbons – which is the international symbol of mental health awareness – along with printed and handwritten inspirational messages.
The display was created through a community service partnership with the Massapequa Public Library. Ames library media specialist Evangeline King said about 15 students participated.
“They did such a nice job,” Ms. King said. “They were really focused. It was a very mindful and thoughtful experience, which embodies the message of Mental Health Awareness Month.”
Ms. King’s 3D Printing club made green ribbons that were hung on every door in the school as well as miniature ribbons that could be put on their keychains or lanyards. Active Minds and Chiefs Challenge students, led by social worker Kim Hession, also created signs to support mental health awareness and provide students with meaningful resources.
Unqua Elementary School’s Students Against Destructive Decisions club created a spring mindfulness board.
The students decided to support mental health awareness by providing their peers with useful strategies. On paper flowers, students wrote ways to practice mindfulness through being, doing, feeling, noticing, saying and thinking.