Add a Little Color

Students will gather resources to include in a Wellness Coloring Book available for sale to students. Resources will include coloring pages created by our fine arts students and stories of poems provided by Creative Writing students. The coloring book will be used to promote positive mental health strategies and to reduce stigma around mental illness

Update (May 18, 2017)

Our original plan of a coloring book to use as a coping strategy for students in the school was not well received, which led our team to realize that we need to build a stronger sense of community, support, safety, and encouragement at the school

In response, our Student Wellness Action Team (SWAT) prepared a unique campaign for the school to encourage positive relationships and promote wellness in support of Canadian Mental Health Week. Students were invited to write personal and encouraging notes to individuals in the building that have positively impacted them. Upon receiving a note students are encouraged to “Mail It Forward” by writing a note for someone else, continuing the cycle of encouragement throughout the week.

The campaign saw students write over 1000 encouraging notes to one another and was a great complement to other wellness events taking place during this week, such as a Wellness Fair and a Disconnect day where 100 students went without technology for a school day.

Update (June 16, 2017)

Our Wellness Team went to our Feeder School and shared some strategies and supports for making a successful transition to high school. The students participating in the presentation were chosen based on perceived needs by students or teachers. The presentation focused on their worries or concerns about transitioning to high school. Our students shared their own experiences and led a conversation around effective strategies and supports for coping with these challenges. It was a great opportunity for our students to practice their leadership skills, an excellent chance to discuss real challenges faced by students in coping with mental health issues, and a chance to address some stigma by talking about these concerns and offering support and mentorship! Further, it was a great step in establishing a culture in our building where talking about mental health is important and encouraged.