While many schools have teachers and guidance counsellors to help students deal with test anxiety, daily stresses and other aspects of mental health, some students at Rainy River High School (RRHS) are taking a different approach.
They’ve become Mental Health Champions, volunteers who take it upon themselves to foster greater mental health among their peers. The student-led initiative began a few years ago, and while the founding members have since graduated, a new group of dedicated students has taken up the cause of promoting mental health and wellness.
“Their legacy continues in the others,” said Susanne Brielmann, a teacher and guidance counsellor at RRHS involved with Mental Health Champions. “It’s allowing those students to branch out from beyond just being in Grade 11 or 12; the inclusion has really increased the welcoming of the new students. They’ve done a lot of transitioning to the bridge the gap to the Grade 8s that are going to be coming into our school, making that transition more comfortable.”
According to the Rainy River District School Board (RRDSB), the student mental health champion is a voluntary position held by two or more students in Grades 5 to 12 within each school across the board. The board states each volunteer is “passionate about mental health and well-being and are prepared to take on a leadership role in promoting mental health initiatives and a positive school environment.”
The program stresses the importance of developing healthy habits and strategies to help maintain mental health. What the champions learn can help them to understand when a friend or loved one might be having a mental health issue and how to help care for themselves while also helping others.
They’re not alone; they are also taught when to reach out to a trusted adult for help. A mental health leader from the school board provides the group with orientation and foundational training and reviews any material it produces.
Among their activities, the Mental Health Champions have designed a poster recognizing World Mental Health Day, which they also turned into a T-shirt, Brielmann said. “I see students wearing them throughout the school on non-mental health activity days. So, it’s a constant reminder that they’re available in the school for kids to go and talk to.”
Kids from Rainy River have been so successful at home, they’ve begun spreading the message to other schools, RRHS Principal Kelly Agar said. “When we started up this program, we had such a wide cross-section of our population join. They’re going to workshops at other schools and meeting with other students, and it’s really quite amazing to see.”
Ella Runesson, a Grade 12 student and current Mental Health Champion at RRHS, said the program helps provides some extra support for students who might not otherwise know where to turn. “Before this program, students probably did not know where to go because it was not readily available information. It is important to all of us that everyone feels as well as they can in our school. We do different and inclusive events to help support all students and their mental well-being.”
Runesson’s younger sister Malin, a Grade 9 student, said she likes “that it helps people and makes them feel happy.”
Before the program, mental health wasn’t a topic of conversation in the hallways, “unless there was a presentation,” said Kylynn Anderson, a Grade 12 student and Mental Health Champion. “Now I find more people come directly to us, wondering about what we can do for them, or I see people accessing our resource board and I find we talk a lot more about mental health than ever before.”
“This club is only made possible because we have such a large engagement within our student body. Students who attend are always positive and want to make a difference, which is part of the reason we can continue to plan all the events,” Anderson said.
Ava Brown, another Grade 12 student, said she didn’t know where to go to get help before the program was initiated, unless it was recommended directly by teachers. “I like that it takes a more fun approach to boosting mental health, rather than sticking strictly to counsellors and therapy. I think we have created a more close-knit community because everyone with shared interests comes to events, and it includes students who usually would not participate.”
“I like that it gets students more involved in activities at school,” said Ava’s younger sister Leah, a Grade 9 student.
The group hosts a variety of events, sometimes as simple as gathering together and enjoying a meal or snacks.
“I am looking forward to pasta night the most,” said Kate Gall, a Grade 9 student at RRHS.
“I liked coming over to do the cupcake competition when I was in grade 8 and winning it,” said Taylor Blake, another Grade 9 student at RRHS.
“I like meeting new people,” said Grade 9 student Jaxson Speaker.
“My favourite part of the mental health champions is the after-school activities and the lunch days,” shared Raina Logsdon, Grade 12.
“It helps me get more ideas for art, and it helps me with my mental health,” shared Mya Johnson, another Grade 12 student. “I like that it’s boosting people’s mental health.”
