Mental Health Week ran from 6 - 9 May this year. It is always an important week in our school. This year, the Wellbeing Committee highlighted a different theme every day to mark the week.
Tuesday’s theme was Connect. Connecting is an integral part of our wellbeing; it allows us to feel heard and know that we are not alone. At the doors in the morning, we created a ‘hugometer’, with members of the Wellbeing Committee greeting students with hugs, high fives, or even just a smile. Each hug was represented as a bead in our ‘hugometer’ jar. In assembly, Eleanor Donnan spoke about the importance of connectivity and how connecting and talking to others can benefit us hugely. Lauren Collins and Marcelina Rubach performed a beautiful song. During lunch, mindful colouring was set up outside for students to chat and connect in the sun. This was amazing, as students were able to check in on each other and talk about how they were feeling.
The theme on Wednesday was Take Notice. Taking notice of yourself and those around you allows you to recognise if you are feeling down or if your friend is having a bad day. By taking notice, we can understand how to take care of ourselves and look out for others. At the doors, each student was given the name of one of their peers to give a compliment to that day. Lauryn Doyle spoke about the different types of compliments in assembly and how to uplift someone in this way. At break, a ‘Take Notice Board’ was set up where students could express what they were grateful for and what they had noticed made a difference to them. The day finished with an evening of memory and reflection in honour of members of the school community.
Thursday’s theme was Learn. In assembly, Poppy Comerford highlighted different methods of coping with mental health. During break, a table was set up where students could talk about how they cope and vote on the methods that helped them most. As part of this, we had performances at assembly and during junior and senior lunch that allowed students to express themselves through music and see the benefits music brings to wellbeing. Everyone got to enjoy this music while also understanding the importance of looking after themselves and their mental health.
Friday brought the final theme of the week: Give. There was face paint and music at the doors, and Megan Oldrey described the importance of giving in assembly. A huge effort was made by Fifth Year monitors to bake cookies, which were sold at lunch in aid of Pieta House. We would like to thank students for their generous donations. During the last class of the week, we celebrated mental health with Zumba outside, which the whole school took part in. Everyone got out in the sun, danced with their friends, and had a lot of fun! It was a fantastic way to end the week.
The Wellbeing Committee wanted to ensure that students remember their mental health is always important, not just during this week. To reflect this, we created a mural representing our school community. Lauren Collins, Lauryn Doyle, and Veronica Stroie created an extraordinary display of a tree. Every student’s thumbprint now makes up the leaves of this tree, while teachers and staff created cherry blossoms with theirs. This represents the support we offer one another and the community that surrounds us. We hope students see it as a reminder that they can always reach out to others—just as the branches of our tree do.
In aid of Pieta House, teachers agreed to participate in the Ice Bucket Challenge. Students nominated teachers, and in the end, Mr Miller, Mr Prodgers, and Mr O’Sullivan were chosen. They took part during Sports Day and came out soaked! We are very grateful to them for their contribution and support. Through their participation, the cookie sales, and generous student donations, The High School raised over €600 for an incredible charity that supports mental health year-round.
As part of Pieta House’s work, they organise a Darkness Into Light walk every year. This raises awareness for suicide prevention and shows people they are not alone. It serves as a reminder that there is always hope, even in the darkest times. A number of students and staff took part.
The support from students and staff and the enthusiasm of everyone was exceptional this year. All of these contributions make Mental Health Week what it is.