Nicholas Donaldson
After months of planning and dedication from students, staff, and community partners, Our Lady of the Way School in Stratton held its “Mental Health Matters” event on Friday.
It was organized by three Grade 8 students, Angel Medicine, Paige Asselin, and Trinity Horton, along with their staff ally, Nicole Robinson.
“We came together in the fall and applied for a grant, which was a ‘Dare to Dream’ grant,” Robinson explained.
The grant awards up to $5,000 to young people supporting mental health awareness and wellness in schools.
The three students decided they wanted to run a mental health event and educate the whole community on the kinds of services that are out there.
After coming up with ideas and sending in a proposal, the school received the full $5,000 to stage the event.
“It was the students who decided what they would like to see happen,” Robinson stressed.
“There has been lots of planning, lots of people putting it together, but basically the girls spearheaded it,” she added.
Some of the topics the trio wanted to cover included anxiety, stress, and mental health in youth.
They also made sure it was open to the community and contained information for adults, as well.
“They wanted to bring different backgrounds together, different agencies, different people,” noted Robinson.
Grade 6-8 students from St. Francis School here in Fort Frances also were invited, and community members attended, as well.
The day began in the school gym with a talk by Andreanne Fleck, a lead with School Mental Health ASSIST, a provincial support team designed to help school boards promote mental health.
Robinson explained Riley Keast, the mental health lead for the Northwest District Catholic School Board, had been in contact with Fleck and was able to bring her in.
The students then split into different “break-out sessions” that covered various topics surrounding mental health.
Students were able to pick which sessions they were interested in before the event and had the chance to visit two of them during the day.
The available sessions included yoga, meditation, cultural teachings, and movement/healthy eating.
Keast also ran an anxiety information session for adults in the morning.
Meanwhile, the organizations involved either ran sessions or had information booths set up around the school.
The Northwestern Health Unit, Weechi-it-te-win Family Services, Rainy River First Nations, Métis Nation of Ontario, Canadian Mental Health Association, and the Kenora-Rainy River Districts Family and Children Services all made an appearance at the event.
Robinson said it was important that these different agencies were involved.
“We want the students and adults in the surrounding community to know that there is help and where to get help,” she explained.
Robinson added the school has been focusing on mental health for the past few years and wanted to spread information to the community.
One of the ways OLW has embraced mental health awareness is through the use of its calming room for students.
“They know if they are having a bad moment, they have a space to go,” Robinson said.
The room contains various items to help students calm down, including a swing chair, drawing paper, a chalkboard,and a small trampoline if that is what they need.
“We all need something different to make us feel better,” Robinson reasoned.
Deep breathing during morning announcements, and colour-coded language surrounding emotions, also help the students and staff stay mindful about their feelings.
“We find it really helps us at the school, not just the kids but the adults, as well,” said Robinson.
“We just wanted to share what we’ve learned and what we’ve been practising for the past few years.”
Robinson also praised acting vice-principal Colette Fafard and all the work she has done for mental health at OLW.
“She has really supported us and without her, this wouldn’t have happened,” she stressed.
“Here we are, a school with only 23 students, and we pulled off such a huge event for the community.”
Robinson estimated more than 150 students, staff, and community members attended the event throughout the day and said it went better than they could have expected.
“We got a lot of positive feedback from everyone,” she noted. “People were thanking us for putting on the event.
“I think the kids really learned a lot.”
