On Wednesday, Nov. 15 the Active Minds Club will hold the second annual wellness fair. On this day, stations will be held during enrichment to help those who are dealing with various challenging emotions. Sophomore Maggie Kurtz tells us that Active Minds serves as a platform for open conversations, informational events, and resources that can shed light on mental challenges.
“Our group maintains a supportive community that encourages empathy, awareness and acceptance,” Kurtz (‘26) said.
This year, Active Minds has gone even farther to extend the idea of mental health. A number of psychology tutors from Hereford’s new Psychology Club were asked to help out with the fair. Studying the brain and its functions, as well as analyzing behavior makes these students the ideal candidates.
Similar to Active Minds Club, Psychology Club strives to better understand mental health. However, psychology also tends to focus on the causes of mental illness. Emma Merrill, a psychology student and tutor, believes that it is important to inform people of the scientific reasons behind mental illness.
“I feel it is important to educate people on mental health and I hope Psych club can be a safe place for them to come talk,” Merrill (‘24) said.
Hereford’s attention to mental health helps address illnesses that have gone unnoticed or without treatment. CTRLCare confirms that over 20% of children with depression went untreated, and the same went for over 40% of children with anxiety.
“Learning about mental health is vital to Hereford,” Kurtz said. “It enhances individual self-awareness while also making a positive impact on the school community.”
As the school year continues, students’ stress may increase. But they can find comfort in the fact that their school and community makes their mental health a priority.
