School partners with Impact Prevention for mental health day activities

COAL GROVE — With the help of local youth prevention group Impact Prevention, the students at Dawson-Bryant High School hosted a Healthy Hornet Day on May 8. 

The school Impact Prevention group received a mini grant from the Lawrence County Juvenile Court to help provide mental health awareness to the students. The student group wanted to have the event where they could promote both physical and mental health for their classmates.  

While planning this event, the student group wanted to be sure that there were activities for every student in the school and many of them also wanted to be sure the teachers would enjoy the day as well. One student pointed out that, after the pandemic, several teachers just seemed to be down and needed a pick me up. 

Staff members at the school selected an activity they would like to do with students and then students signed up for sessions. Members of Lawrence County Impact Prevention participated as well. 

This allowed for students to have more options on activities. During the activities, there were coolers of water for the students who were outside, popsicles were given to everyone, prizes were available for some activities and ever student received a wristband with a positive message on it. 

Some of the activities that were offered were paint pouring, Japanese calligraphy, card games, board games, name that tune, silent reading, adult coloring, video games, a murder mystery, cornhole and volleyball. 

Even the principal Dean Mader participated and took nearly 40 students on a history walk at Woodland Cemetery. 

One activity that was very much enjoyed by students was what started as elementary field day flashback and turned into the water Olympics. 

Students were laughing, smiling and having fun, and so were the teachers. 

One group of students planted flowers around the front of the school and cleaned up some of the plants that were there in order to prepare for graduation in the coming weeks.

Each student who participated had their name in a drawing for a prize and the winning student received a Fuji Film Instax Mini. 

Teachers who participated also had their name in for a drawing and one teacher was lucky enough to receive a $100 gas card.  

This day was needed for everyone to just have some time to relax, laugh, have fun and enjoy being at school without the pressure of tests and school work. 

If given the opportunity again next year, students said they would like to do this again.