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Jinelle LeBron and her peers spent on Tuesday discovering the importance of mental health and the factors that can suggest that a student is not good.
“I think teenagers can feel alone,” LeBron, a second year student at American History High School during a group discussion on mental health struggles.
“Or”, she added, “someone might have the impression of being heard.”
LeBron was one of the 204 Mental Health Ambassadors of Newark Public Schools from 9th to 11th year that participated in a Mental Health Plan Summit on the theme of football that provided participants with a strategies game book to meet the challenges of mental health for themselves and their peers. The summit also followed the training of students who will plan, develop and facilitate mental health campaigns in district secondary schools in May.
The mental health conference, organized by the District Student Bureau, took place at the Montclair State University, where students were welcomed by green and white balloons and football table centers at their tables to reflect the theme: “Build your mental health game book.” Students also received swag bags containing stress balls, notebooks, pens, books and brochures that could be used for their campaigns in May.
Students heard district social workers, therapists and three NFL football players, including Jahan Dotson, a wide receiver for the Philadelphia Eagles, and Tony Richardson, former ball carrier for New York Jets, who talked about their mental health trips and their challenges they have overcome. The speakers guided students through discussions on mental health struggles, signs that may suggest friends may not be good and where to go when you need support.
Jeremiah Brown, an honor speaker of the event and former Jacksonville jaguars security, spoke of the fatal cerebral lesion which forced him to withdraw from the NFL. He guided students through a brainstorming session on the challenges of mental health and encouraged them to create solutions.
“I am here because of the support I have received because I thought this world would be much better without me,” Brown told students on Tuesday.
Mental health problems in young people were increasing before Covid, but increased during the pandemic. Adolescents also declared that they feel disconnected because the pandemic disrupted the learning of students and limited access to their friends, social services in schools and activities after school such as sports and clubs.
But there are signs that students get back slowly. Last August, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has published new data highlighting mental health improvements in adolescents, including a decrease in the percentage of students feeling constantly sad or hopeless. The report also highlighted concerns about the increase in the percentage of adolescents reporting experiences of violence and absenteeism in schools due to security problems.
Jahi Gordon, an educator in mental health at the Foundation and presenter of Jed at the top of Mental Health on Tuesday, encouraged students to prioritize their mental health, even if they feel good and asked them to make them aware of their schools. Gordon said that 4 out of 10 high school students felt persistent feelings of sadness or despair in 2023, and 42% of adolescents aged 13 to 17 did not ask for assistance to adults.
“We have to remove negative stigma around mental health and mental health conversations,” Gordon said on Tuesday.
Secondary students suffering from depression are twice as likely to abandon in relation to their peers, according to the National alliance on New Jersey mental illness. The organization also found that throughout the state, 61.4% of young people aged 12 to 17 who did not receive any care last year.
Kai-Lano-Rodriguez, a second year student of the American History High School who was part of the discussion group with LeBron, agreed that it was important to raise awareness of mental health struggles, but it is more important to have someone to talk to.
“Normally, adolescents linger on the past and the things that have happened to them, and they have let them affect them, and they somehow make them their atmosphere and their personality, instead of simply letting him go or talking to someone,” said Osorio-Rodriguez.
In 2023, Newark public schools received a $ 8.9 million in federal subsidy To implement mental health programs. Thanks to the subsidy, the district has undertaken to hire mental health coordinators, advisers and social workers and by widening existing school socio-emotional programs. The District also works with the New Jersey Ministry of Education, the State Mental Health Agency and the city’s community mental health agencies to establish a mental health support system over the next five years.
Tuesday summit staff also provided students with a series of resources to help students maintain their mental health, including Gaggle, an application used to connect with practically therapists and the Erika headlight recharge program, an online tool that helps students cope with daily struggles.
Isabella Crespo, a second year student of the American History High School who participated in the Tuesday summit, said that she had faced mental health struggles last year. Conversations with his peers during the summit helped to deepen his understanding how to support his friends in times of crisis.
“I think mental health is something that has an impact on children and that they don’t really like to speak,” said Crespo. “So I have the impression that it is very important that children can come to you and be like, hey, like, I go through that.”
Jessie Gomez is a journalist for Chalkbeat Newark, covering public education in the city. Contact Jessie at jgomez@chalkbeat.org.