“More than 1 in 3 high school students had experienced persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness in 2019,” the CDC for adolescence and school health said. At Fountain Valley High School (FVHS), the Student Advocates For Mental Health (SAMH) organization works to change that.
SAMH is a community of student representatives from all different clubs at FVHS. It is also a part of the Peer Assistance Leadership (PALS) organization. Their focus is to support others and advocate for mental health by hosting events such as Baron Play Day or creating presentations for mental wellness weeks.
The group at FVHS started only last year after a grant from the Orange County Department of Education (OCDE), which allowed for student leadership classes to “implement activities designed to increase awareness about suicide prevention, reduce mental health stigma, and promote school and community resources,” OCDE said.
Since not many organizations at FVHS focus on mental health, the addition of SAMH plays a large part in spreading awareness and working with students to improve their mental health.
“[Before SAMH,] there was only one mental health club, and that wasn’t really emphasized either,” PALS president and senior Duyen Ta said.
SAMH is extremely important in helping students deal with the academic stresses that most face in a school environment, especially when nearing finals and application season or simply when managing grades. There are also other contributing factors that may cause stress for students on top of their loads of schoolwork. For many students, it is difficult to handle these stresses alone.
“I think a lot of our Baron community can’t express themselves mentally. They feel like they need to be okay and that work is above all else and their future is so important,” Ta said. “It’s so hard for us all to just accept that sometimes, it’s okay to not be okay. And it’s okay to admit it to someone.”
Ta described how SAMH provides students with a place and community for them to be able to be vulnerable and talk about their emotions.
On Thursday, Nov. 10, SAMH will be hosting Baron Play Day, which will take place during Wellness Week to emphasize how to relieve stress and take breaks from the curriculum. This event will be from the first period all the way through lunch where students will get a chance to take a break from their classes and enjoy activities and games. Ta hopes that students can prioritize themselves over the stress they face every day.
“It is okay to step back from all of your work and it is okay to put yourself first before your work,” Ta said.
