by Maddison Reynolds
Hannah Persley and Marliegh Brown want to start a club for mental health.
Mental health issues are seen in everyday life. Junior Hannah Persley and sophomore Marliegh Brown are seeking a way to address these issues in a school setting. Persley and Brown aim to start a club that recognizes the importance of mental health.
“Many students express their feelings through violence. We would like to give them a chance to express their emotions in a different way,” Brown said.
Originally, Brown and Persley wanted to create a club similar to Black Studies Association, but due to conflicts they were unable to do so. They then decided to focus on Mental Health Awareness for black students instead. Brown and Persley proposed this idea to future principal Bryant Sepulvado. Sepulvado encouraged them to make it an all inclusive club and so the brainstorming commenced.
One event they hope to have is “Mental Wellness Mondays.” Meetings would be held on Mondays after school. These meetings would teach students about ways to deal with what they are going through and how to help others deal with it as well.
Teacher Madeline Koske has agreed to sponsor this new club. Persley and Brown would also like Geometry and Civil Engineering teacher Sonya Wilson to become a sponsor but it has not been confirmed. For the first year, Persley will be the club president. Once Persley has graduated, Brown will take over.
“We are still getting our proposal together, but we would love to introduce other roles such as an event coordinator and a communications chair,” Persley said.
To get this idea approved Brown and Persley have to create a proposal to present to Assistant Principal Natalie Dalton. They will continue to plan meticulously over the next few months in order to get this club up and running by the next school year. For anyone who is looking to start a new club both Persley and Brown encourage students to “Just Do It.”