W. Allegheny-Community Champions!
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Tags: #Back2School, #talkaboutit, art, champions, community, diversity, high school, in the news, mental health awareness, mural, projects, recognition, West Allegheny
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Leave a Comment (0) →We’re pleased to welcome Deer Lakes High School to the Stand Together program this year! Having worked with this school district in a previous position, I was anxious to return and see how things have changed since then-and maybe run into a few of my old students along the way! That didn’t end up happening, but I did meet an amazing group of youth that were full of passion, laughter, and love.
Although slow to start (they are teenagers and it was early in the day), they quickly gained energy and momentum as we went through the exercises. It was a very a diverse group and students were eager to participate, learn, and get to know each other throughout the two training workshops. They asked a lot of questions, came up with a bunch of great ideas, and made some new friends along the way.
As you can see, the group had so much fun. All I could see were smiles, hear was laughter, and feel the excitement as the youth participated in activities to learn more about mental and substance use disorders and stigma and come together as a group:
-4 Corners: the classifications, effects, and examples of substances
-Ships’n’Sailors: understanding the feelings of isolation and consequences of stigma
-WHAPP! learning how to recognize the most common signs and symptoms of mental and substance use disorders
-Sparkle: put it all together to review and reiterate that mental illness is not a choice (1:4 students don’t even have a chance to answer a question)
-WWYD? students role-play in various scenarios to recognize the signs and symptoms, respond, and provide SHE (support, hope, and encouragement)
-Common Ground: a kind of ‘musical chairs’ to find similarities between the students
-The Big Five: the most important pieces of our training: 1) You matter; 2) You’re not alone; 3) SHE; 4) 1 in 4; 5) WHAPP.
Recognizing the signs, spreading awareness and promoting social inclusion, and knowing how to respond are how Stand Together stops stigma. And we know these Lancers are going to slay.
The second day was an amazing experience. The students couldn’t wait to share their ideas and plan projects to stop stigma in their school. Utilizing the education and experiences they obtained in the first workshop, students focused on what they thought their peers and staff should know. Then they viewed some project examples-and the juices were flowing! There were so many ideas, they might run out of time this year! So much to do, so little time!
The group settled on plans for a kick-off assembly with a recovery speaker, 1:4 visual, and Kahoot! trivia, as well as three definite events to be held throughout the year: a myth/fact spinning wheel, a rubber ducky pool/pull, and a balloon release to visualize the 1:4 ratio and unite by sharing their own experiences with mental and substance use disorders. The group plans to track these balloons to see their impact after they let them go as well, as they release not only their challenges, but also information to the greater community.
One of my favorite parts of the day is when students think about their own interests and talents and commit to contributing a specific skill to the project:
We absolutely cannot wait to see these projects in action! I’m so excited to be able to share my story with the students and staff at the assembly and be a part of this amazing experience. Keep an eye out for posts on January 30th!
Written by Danyelle, coordinator
Tags: 1:4, 4 Corners, assembly, balloon release, challenges, commitment, Common Ground, community, contribution, Deer Lakes, diversity, duck pond, education, energy, excitement, experience, impact, laughter, learning, love, momentum, myths/facts, new year, participation, passion, project planning, skills, Sparkle, talent, The Big Five, WHAPP, WWYD?
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Leave a Comment (0) →West Allegheny High School is returning for its third year in the program and they continue to amaze us with their creativity, passion, and vulnerability. Half of their members returned this year, committed to continue their work to address stigma in their school. With a diverse group and a handful of staff support, this group is well on their way to another amazing year-and they’ve upped their game to Tier 3! There was no doubt in my mind they would rise to the occasion and blow us away with their ideas.
To decrease stigma, it’s important to increase education and awareness to break down the stereotypes and myths associated with mental and substance use disorders. One of the first things we stress is that these are diagnosable conditions (by a mental health professional) that occur frequently and over a long period of time. It’s not just the ups-and-downs of every day life; we all feel anxious and sad from time-to-time (we asked the students to raise their hands if they’ve ever felt this way in the picture above), but when it starts to affect someone’s daily life, that’s when it’s important to reach out for help.
In the HS curriculum in particular, we also discuss various diagnoses and definitions. Students learn about the eight most common mental health conditions and the similarities and differences among them. Although we don’t expect the students to memorize these disorders, we want them to be aware of the correct definitions so that they can address the stigma associated with specific ones. For example, most people use ‘OCD’ as an adjective, like it’s just about being ‘neat’ or ‘picky,’ but in reality, OCD is a disorder involving obsessive thoughts that lead to compulsive behaviors. It’s not just that someone likes things a certain way, but they are following certain rules, rituals, and routines; things have to be a certain way. No matter the diagnoses, most disorders can be associated with five major signs and symptoms: withdrawal, hopelessness, agitation, personality change, and poor self-care, or WHAPP! (as we like to call it). Students recognize that when they notice these in themselves or someone else, it’s important to reach out to an adult they trust.
Students at West Allegheny also take part in an activity called Climate Change. In this activity, students think about the positive and negative characteristics of their school environment, what an ideal culture would look like, and think about how they can get there. One of Stand Together’s goals focuses on social inclusion-all students and staff are welcomed and included in the social fabric of the school. They used this idea to plan one of their projects the second day. (see below)
The team at West A has always been passionate about reaching their Freshman class as soon as they enter the building. For the past two years they have held a freshman assembly with information about mental health and Stand Together, games, and a recovery speaker. This year they’re going to take it a step further. After their assembly in the fall, this Spring, the students will be entering the health classrooms to spend three-yes, THREE!-days sharing information with their peers, engaging them in fun activities, and showing them a self-created film they will be producing that will include both students and staff sharing personal stories about their own experiences with mental and/or substance use disorders. One of their advisors, Ms. D, is the health teacher and it was a natural connection to expand her unit with peer-to-peer instruction from Stand Together students. We always say, it’s one thing if an adult tells you something, but it’s quite another if you hear it from someone your age, someone you know…it has a much greater impact.
Students have also planned a Stop Stigma Speed Run (or Triple S Grand Prix) obstacle course for students in gym class. Participants will rotate through different activities learning about mental and substance use disorders and stigma while engaging in fun activities and physical games. The team will also be painting a mural with silhouettes of the team and a pledge for their school to ‘end stigma’ by ‘creating a self and welcoming environment’ for students and staff, regardless of whether or not an individual has a mental health, substance use disorder, or any other difference or diagnosis.
We’re looking forward to see how great an impact this team makes at their school this year. We know they’re going to change the environment and even lives. See you soon!
Written by Danyelle, coordinator
Tags: 5 signs, assembly, awareness, change, climate change, creativity, definition, diagnosis, diversity, education, freshman, high school, mural, myths, obstacle course, passion, peer-to-peer, project planning, school climate, self-disclosure, social inclusion, staff support, stereotypes, Stigma, tier 3, video, vulnerability, West Allegheny, WHAPP
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Leave a Comment (0) →Earlier this month, our team headed to West Mifflin Area High School to train their students. WMHS is no stranger to Stand Together-the program is 7 years young and West Mifflin has been with us from the beginning. Although the group members and numbers have changed over the years (at one point they had 74 on the team!), their passion, commitment, and leadership has never wavered.
The first day of training is always an interesting time because a lot of the students don’t know each other. WMHS, like many of our schools, uses an application process to select their students. Students are selected for their interest in mental health and decreasing stigma and their desire to enact change. Because any one can apply and the applications are reviewed anonymously, there’s guaranteed to be a very diverse group of students and this year was no different. There were members from all areas of the student body, students with leadership potential, and even some youth that have been personally connected with mental health and substance use disorders. We consider this a privilege and a valuable experience that adds to the depth of our teams.
This day was filled with fun activities, new friendships, laughter, and even some tears. The students explored the types of mental disorders and substances, brainstormed how to help peers who are struggling, and learned more about each other. Students connected through shared experiences and left the day empowered to address the stigma in their schools.
If the first day was full of information, the second day was packed with the students’ project ideas! Small groups came up with dozens of suggestions and additions jumped back and forth as they built on the foundations of vague ideas and dreams of a world without stigma. Students came up with ideas to increase education and awareness, promote social inclusion, and build relationships with staff and faculty so that students felt comfortable reaching out to an adult they trusted when they were worried about themselves or someone else. By the end of the day, they had at least six solid plans, including mental health a-WEAR-ness events with pjs, socks, and ribbons, reviving the infamous glo-dance, and even a unique take on meeting students where they are. (Spoiler alert: they’re putting something on the ground so students look up (literally) to support and hopeful messages! << We can’t wait to see this one!)
All in all our team had an amazing couple of days with this group. They always bring their A-game and we know they’ll engage their peers in creative and educational ways all year-long. Thanks for another great training, WMHS! We’ll be out to see your projects soon!
Written by Danyelle, coordinator
WMHS presenters
N. Allegheny students at the photo booth
Written by Danyelle, coordinator
Tags: 1:4, acceptance, Allderdice, Avonworth, awareness, blog, CAPA, celebrities, change, conversation, diversity, educate, empathy, games, high school, hope, impact, kudos, Mental Health, Mental Illness, middle school, Montour, North Allegheny, Oakland Catholic, passion, Perry, pledge, Propel, Recognition Event, recovery, school culture, SciTech, Service-Learning, Shaler, shame, SHE, social inclusion, South Park, speak out, Stand Together, Steel Valley, Stigma, substance use, success, support, talk about it, thank you, vulnerability, West Allegheny, West Mifflin
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Written by Danyelle, coordinator
Tags: 'the real tea', 1:4, acceptance, awareness, blog, change, Common Ground, conversation, Cross the Line, diversity, educate, high school, hope, impact, Mental Health, Mental Illness, motivational echoing, passion, project planning, Service-Learning, social inclusion, speak out, Stand Together, Stigma, substance use, talk about it, Woodland Hills, workshop
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Written by Montaja, trainer
Tags: #MeTooBro, acceptance, assembly, awareness, blog, change, Common Ground, conversation, diversity, educate, high school, hope, impact, Mental Health, Mental Illness, Q&A, relationships, SciTech, Service-Learning, social inclusion, speak out, staff-student, Stand Together, Stigma, support, talk about it, video
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Written by Danyelle, coordinator
Tags: 1:4, acceptance, awareness, blog, change, commitment, Common Ground, conversation, creativity, Cross the Line, diversity, educate, high school, hope, ideas, impact, lighting the way, Mental Illness, passion, project planning, Service-Learning, shame, social inclusion, speak out, Stand Together, Stigma, substance use, support, talk about it, vulnerability, workshop
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Written by Danyelle, coordinator
Tags: acceptance, awareness, blog, change, conversation, diversity, educate, experience, high school, hope, impact, knowledge, leadership, Mental Health, Mental Illness, passion, project planning, SciTech, self-help, Service-Learning, shame, social inclusion, speak out, staff-student, Stand Together, Stigma, substance use, support, talk about it, workshop
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Written by Danyelle, coordinator
Tags: 1:4, acceptance, attitudes, awareness, beliefs, blog, change, connections, conversation, Cross the Line, diversity, educate, emotional intelligence, empathy, high school, hope, impact, Mental Health, Mental Illness, North Allegheny, passion, project planning, self-disclosure, Service-Learning, SHE, social inclusion, speak out, Stand Together, Stigma, substance use, success, talk about it, thoughts, workshop
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