Abigail Dunlap, Section Editor
Photo by Abigail Dunlap
On Friday, March 13, New Canaan High School held its annual Wellness and Mental Health Fair in the Wagner Room. After having a successful debut last year, the counseling office organized the fair to occur again this year. Students had the opportunity to connect with a large variety of organizations and community groups, gather informational resources, learn about support systems, and participate in hands-on activities focused on positive well-being for example students could play with therapy dogs, enter a raffle for gift certificates sponsored by the PFA, and participate in jumping jack competitions per the New Canaan YMCA.
Social Worker Kacey Gormley spoke on her perspective on the behind-the-scenes of the fair, emphasizing the transition from last year’s primary focus on mental wellness to general wellness overall. “We wanted to focus on wellness in general – not just mental health,” She said. “In previous years, it had really been focused on mental health, and we recognized that if we broadened the scope, we could bring in more student interest. So this year we included physical wellness, mental wellness, and nutritional wellness.”
To highlight physical wellness, the fair had various activities dedicated to Physical activity/exercise. “The YMCA came and hosted physical challenges, which were quite popular,” Ms. Gormley said. “Students did push-up challenges to win prizes like hats, and there were jumping jack competitions to see who could do the most in a certain amount of time. They even kept scores, so people could try to beat the top score.”
To enhance the atmosphere of the room, organizers wanted to create a very interactive fair. “We asked community providers to bring lots of resources, take-home materials, and games,” Ms. Gormley said. “This allowed them to share their information through fun activities to liven up the Wagner Room.”
Another popular attraction at the fair was the presence of therapy dogs. “One of the biggest draws was the pet therapy,” Gormley said. “Dogs came, and students absolutely flocked to them. It gave students a chance to give and receive affection, which was really special.”
An additional, well-liked booth was the New Canaan Cares (NCC) table, hosted by Colleen Prostor, the New Canaan Cares President. “We had three interactive activities,” Prosper said. “One was a Fishbowl “Take a Note / Leave a Note” where students could write notes to spark joy, and others read notes for personal uplift. We also had a Healthy Coping Skills Quiz, which involved a self-assessment to identify effective coping strategies like listening to music, walking, cooking, or calling friends. Lastly, we had a Personal Appreciation Note, where students could write notes to peers or faculty members.”
Ms. Proster believed that these activities helped make the fair all a “huge success in bringing more interactive experiences and interesting students,” she said.
Many students also entered the raffle. “We had seven winners, and 245 students entered the drawing ,” Ms. Gormley said. “Many students came up to me at the table and said they wished there were more events like this.”
The wellness fair was a great opportunity to learn more about the support systems and programs already available to students. For example, Ms. Proster believes NCHS and NCC High School leadership programs are a great opportunity for students. “The High School Leadership Program, which runs for seven weeks each semester in the fall and spring, is always a great way to get involved. It’s free of charge, and we accept 15 students per semester. Students develop skills in public speaking, storytelling, emotional intelligence, personal values identification, communication and leadership.”
The school also has a large amount of support in place, especially when addressing mental health. “We have nine staff members in the counseling office, and our doors are always open for students who want to explore wellness further or need support,” Ms. Gormley said.
Another highlight of the fair was the counseling table’s “trusted adult” postcards at the counseling table. Students could fill them out to thank a teacher or staff member who had supported them.
Overall, this event was a success. “They enjoyed seeing all of the community tables and felt it was a fun experience. That was very rewarding for us,” Ms. Gormley said.
