Leilehua High School students have undertaken a heartening initiative to combat the often hushed-up issue of mental health, thanks to Cassandra Dumaslan, a Po’okela Fellows Internship Program intern working with the HPD District 2 Community Policing Team (CPT). On April 10, an interactive exercise was rolled out during the lunch break, which invited students to pen down their personal affirmations on green paper circles, fostering a sense of community and open dialogue about mental well-being.
With the guidance of enthusiastic school staff and CPT officers, Dumaslan’s event quickly transformed a simple board into a "visual wall of support and solidarity." where each participant's statement contributed to a much-needed conversation on a topic that often stays whispering in the corridors of youth, this board was no longer a collection of green dots but a tapestry woven from the threads of their collective resilience.
The activity culminated in a robust display of approximately one hundred green affirmation bubbles, each one representing a student's personal pledge or positive thought. This initiative is not just about the affirmations though, it’s about instilling an acknowledgment that no student has to weather the turbulence of adolescence and its mental health challenges solo.
For those seeking further information or support around mental health issues, a visit to the National Alliance on Mental Illness Hawaii is a commendable step; it’s a resource where individuals can find help and realize that amidst struggle, there's always a community out there, ready to extend a hand or offer a word of encouragement just like the students at Leilehua have so exemplified.
