With the new school year in full swing, some students are already feeling a drain on their mental health, largely due to the end of summer and having a hard time adjusting to a regular school schedule. Although a relatively new club, You Matter, which meets every Tuesday in B137 at 2:30 p.m., is on a mission to destigmatize mental health at Neuqua, and give people across the school a safe space to process their feelings. Beth Packer, the senior class social worker, helped start the club in 2019, and it has grown rather rapidly since, although it was hindered by the COVID-19 pandemic. “The idea started from students doing a project in their social studies class, and they were researching ways to help the Neuqua community, and this idea came up, got approved, and has been running ever since”. 

The club is largely run by the social workers around the school, and is one of the many great ways to destress and come together to help reduce the stigma surrounding mental health, “We usually check in to make sure we’re all in a good space, and do some activities to raise awareness about mental health or to be connected because coming together is the best thing for us.” Packer said.

For the first meeting of the year, club members wrote motivational quotes using sidewalk chalk by the entrances of the school, which can be seen by almost anyone walking into the building and can help lift their spirits in a tough time. Seeing that this is just the beginning, loads of activities are in store for the year, so come by and check it out!