Mental Health Awareness is Important
- On the Money Magazine
- Jul 28
- 2 min read
Briohna Booker, Gwendolyn Brooks College Prep, Sophomore, Fall 2024
Often, many high school students put their mental health on the back burner for fear of being judged, invalidated, or being told that their feelings are too “soft.” In reality, mental health awareness is crucial especially for high school students to succeed, feel heard, understand others, and prevent traumatic experiences.
The high school experience is stressful and many high school students suffer from depression or even a fear of growing up. The Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System tells us that, “In 2023, 4 in 10 students (40%) had persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness” (Adolescent and School Health, year). When not addressed properly it can lead to serious setbacks in the student's life. Nancy Barile informs us that, “60 percent of high school students with mental illness don't graduate” (Barile, 2018). In the process of addressing this need, schools have reported that they can effectively provide mental health services to high school students in need: “Roughly half (56 percent) of public schools moderately or strongly agreed that they could effectively provide mental health services to all students in need” (NCES, 2022).
In many cases, some schools have provided the mental health services that students deserve. Adrian Waddler, a junior at Gwendolyn Brooks shares her experiences on mental health awareness, “Mental Health awareness has made me more comfortable in opening up and talking about how I feel. It makes finding who I could talk to easier when I’m in a dark place.”
Stephanie Lopez, a junior at Gwendolyn Brooks, explains how mental health awareness helped her understand other students' perspectives and experiences: “Mental health awareness helped me realize how different the world can be perceived. People view things differently based on what they have gone through.” After working with students, school counselor, Jada Long says, “Students are now very aware of their mental health and can articulate what they are feeling and that is awesome for making improvements.” Although mental health awareness is downplayed or seen as not as important for teens, it plays a vital role in the lives of high school students causing them to handle their emotions better, understand other people's feelings and reactions, become more successful, and prevent traumatic experiences.
Adrian Waddler, a student at Gwendolyn Brooks College Prep
Stephanie Lopez, a student at Gwendolyn Brooks College Prep
Jada Long, a school counselor at Sandoval
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