The following article is reprinted with permission by the WHS Forum, the student news publication of Wilton High School. The article provides an overview of the events throughout May that were held at WHS to spread awareness about mental health. It was submitted and written by student Harper Crawford, and edited by students Yana Giannoutsos and Saniya Shah, and the Wilton District’s Safe School Climate Coordinator Kim Zemo.

The month of May marked the beginning of Mental Health Awareness Month. These 31 days were dedicated to helping students and staff feel their best.

“Mental Health Awareness month is a time set aside for all people in [our] community to take time for themselves in the form of self-care… During this month, we aim to provide our community with events and resources that can help them calm down, cope, or heal,” Chloe DuBrock, a member of Hope Squad, said.

The motto of Hope Squad, a club created to give students a group of peers they can turn to for mental health-related aid, is, “It’s ok to not be ok.” A staggering three out of five people struggling with mental health do not seek help, but with the breadth of resources available, from school counselors to helpline numbers like 9-8-8 and 2-1-1 to the QR code on the back of students’ ID cards, the Wilton community can begin making strides to change this statistic.

Mental Health Awareness Month serves as a reminder that no matter how alone someone may feel, there will always be someone available to provvide support, and things can — and will — get better.

The Hope Squad sponsored multiple events [last] month focused on educating the Wilton High School community on available mental health resources.  

Comfort dogs were found in the Library Learning Commons every Thursday in the afternoon throughout May. Even short interactions with these dogs are proven to reduce anxiety and distress levels, making them an excellent addition to the month’s activities.

Additionally, the Wilton Youth Council made a display available for community members at the Wilton Library consisting of 256 green pinwheels (to represent the mental health-related calls made to 9-8-8 and 2-1-1 in Wilton in the past year) and 339 white pinwheels (to represent the 3-in-5 people that suffer from mental health issues and addiction who don’t reach out for help). This display was a more tangible demonstration of the prevalence of mental health struggles both in the Wilton community and on a larger scale. 

Another school-wide event took place on May 21: “Unplug Day,” where students and staff challenged themselves to forgo the use of any electronic devices. Though the activity was optional, around 200 people participated. Afterward, there was a raffle for those who entered with an opportunity to win fun prizes, such as various gift cards from local businesses.

On the same day, the school had a Bubble and Brew truck, from which students and staff could enjoy boba and other treats. A portion of the proceeds were donated to organizations supporting mental health. It was recommended that students bring cash as if they were participating in Unplug Day, they would not have access to their phones.

Only three days later, a pizza truck from the restaurant 800 Degrees came to the school. All students were welcome to purchase pizza, and the majority of proceeds were donated to mental health awareness organizations.

Less than a week after this event, on May 30 from 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m., the Mental Health Fair was held in the Zellner Gallery. It included events and informational presentations where participants were given pins and other items.

To celebrate the end of the month, kindness notes were once again made available for peers to send to each other. These notes were a huge success last year, and Hope Squad was excited to partake in this activity again. 

“The world always needs more kindness… and that is one of Hope Squad’s missions. If we give people the opportunity to be kind then we are one step closer to making the world a better place,” Hope Squad President Lia Lombardi said.