Written by Laya Gregory, 5th grade
Mental health is really important. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It can also affect our wellbeing in general, and even our physical health! But, not only can poor mental health affect our well being, physical health, etc, it can also affect our daily activities, such as school. Which is why it is important to have a safe space. A space where you can release all your anger, stress, sadness, or other negative emotions daily. So when you are lucky enough to go to a school that has that place, it makes the classroom a more safe, comfortable learning environment!
Having a space to cool down is really important, especially when you’re going to school five days a week. Having five days of school, and only two days off can make it hard to have time to cool down, so when your school has one of those places, it relieves a lot of stress! That’s what’s so great about my school, BES! (Burns Elementary School) We have that space, and it’s called the PAWS PLACE! It’s called the PAWS place, because it’s a place where you can take a pause, and cool down (Plus our mascot is a Bobcat!) ! Our PAWS place contains fidget toys, coloring books, and even headphones for when you want peace and quiet! It also contains a poster on the wall, giving students tips on how to reach your happiest state of mind! It’s a very convenient area that all teachers have available in the classroom.
Although the PAWS place helps many students, some need a person to talk to, sometimes students have things on their mind that they want to get off their chest, so they go to our beautiful and kind guidance counselor, Mrs. Fueger. She has helped lots of students, including me. Some students have problems, like insecurities, stress, or more personal issues that they’d like to share with trusted adults, and Mrs. Fueger isn’t the only one students can talk to at Burns because they can also talk to teachers and staff, like Mrs. Clark, our librarian, who has some great advice, because she’s also been through things like home/personal struggles, and bullying. She may look ordinary, but to some, her advice could be lifesaving! My teacher, Mrs. Hardesty is also a good person to talk to because of her great advice, kindness, and loving heart. You can tell she truly loves every single one of her students and cares about their feelings. Or, you can even eat lunch with the quirky and fun staff member, Mrs. Whitehouse! She doesn’t just give out underwear and honey buns to the students, (who need it) she’s also a great person to bond with, and talk to as our Family Resource Coordinator!
One of the other things Burns Elementary focuses on, that is on the topic of mental health, is kindness month! (which coincidentally is this month!) During kindness month, we do things such as staff giving out bobcat awards based on kindness, giving yard signs to students showing kindness, and delivering notes to fellow Bobcats on Valentine’s Day!
A lot of things can influence bad mental health, stuff like problems at home, personal issues, self esteem, etc. But one of the major things that influence mental health is the people you hang around. Some students can reflect badly on you. Some students may be doing bad things, or saying rude things about others, or maybe even things about you! Which can take a bad toll on your mental health. I’ve had an experience where these girls stopped hanging out with me suddenly, just because I was, quote, “weird” so I did everything I could in my power to be as normal as I could, just to regain their friendship. But I soon learned that if you have to go through that much, just for someone to like you, then they’re not worth fighting for. If you’re dealing with people that are hurting you, physically or mentally, it’s a good option to tell a trusted adult, like your school staff, teachers, your guidance counselor, or a trustworthy friend! You can find your own PAWS place, which could be wherever you’d like, as long as it calms you down! You are perfectly fine, and there’s nothing wrong with you, or your personality!
In conclusion, mental health is one of the many things that not just others should focus on, but also yourself! Poor mental health can lead to poor habits, and bad self esteem. When a school like BES focuses on something as important as mental health, it’s a sign that not only the teachers care about our learning, but they care about the US even more! Although Mental Health may not seem as important as other topics, it is something that should be spoken about more, and taken into serious consideration.