World Mental Health Day at KCD

This Article was written by Ana Sato Romano

Our school's Well Being Prefect, Lydia Mohd Alvin, put together a dedicated team for World Mental Health Day, which fell on the 10th of October.

The team planned and prepped assemblies and activities for key stages, 2 up to 5. They presented to key stage 3 on the 10th of October, years 3 to 8 on the 11th, and finally key stage 4 to 5 on the 12th of October.

The team consisted of the schools counsellor Laura Channer, Mrs Leisel and eight key stage 5 pupils who are committed to spreading the importance of mental health awareness and how we can better understand our own emotional health. It is crucial for students as well as staff to be aware of their wellbeing, as not only does it affect our work ethic, but can even affect our physical health. It is important for all of us to be conscious of our own emotional wellbeing, as well as the wellbeing of others in the community.

During the assemblies for key stage 5, the wellbeing team spoke about the different types of mental health ailments young people are likely to face, such as: anxiety, chronic stress, depression and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to name a few. The group gave some statistical data on the subject and how we, as individuals and as a community, can cope with these arising problems.

(Ana Y13, Varya Y12, Jess Y13, Yara Y12, Ryan Y13, Lydia Y13,

Yousuf Y13, Leseli Y12, Laura Channer)

For key stage 2 assemblies, the team interacted with the students by integrating some popular children's animated films, such as Inside Out, to better help them understand how their emotions can affect them. At the end of the assembly, the team got on stage and joined the pupils for a Just Dance competition to shake out their feelings. Some activities for the event were sent out and the students were encouraged to send in their own personal experiences with mental health. Additionally, the team set out and posted some encouraging and positive affirmations around the school, which can be found hanging in the school bathrooms. The team also set out to create an affirmation tree, which students can find in the lower library and they could add their own constructive affirmations.

All in all, the wellbeing team successfully helped create a healthy environment around the school where pupils and staff can uplift each other and create a caring and positive school environment.