Extracurricular and afterschool clubs hold numerous involvement opportunities for students to put their best foot forward and engage in subjects in which they take interest.
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| Members of Windham High School's Mental Health Advocacy Club gather at the school. Commonly known as the 'Kindness Crew,' the club's mission is to spread kindness among students while creating a safe and welcoming environment for everyone. SUBMITTED PHOTO |
Meetings take place on Thursday mornings during a PRIDE block in school, from 7:35 to 8:05 a.m. It is an open space for anyone to interact and start conversations with people in the club that they may never have met. Peers spend this time being introduced to new plans or ideas that the club could address.
Kindness Crew advisor Melissa Dubois, who has been working at Windham High School for 24 years, regularly provides students with an agenda, with an activity or a surprise. The point behind this strategy is to keep students engaged and to spread kindness.
“We have had guest speakers and have attended summits with Be The Influence. Some seniors have taken on a leadership role, such as Delana Perkins and Gwen Kim, with organizing events and PRIDE activities,” said Dubois.
Dubois has been running the Kindness Crew for two years. This school year there are about 30 to 40 members who are all active participants while learning about stigma.
Stigma prevents people from speaking up and getting support for issues they are dealing with. Statistics show, just in the farming industry, men represent 95.9 percent of suicide deaths, with a mean age of 57 at the time of death.
“The club was the idea of a former graduate, Hannah McFarland, who wanted to draw attention to mental health issues. I feel it has been successful as the club has doubled in size, not to mention the strategies shared and the opportunities to grow,” said Dubois.
Along with discussing mental health topics openly, students also engage in community service. This school year, Kindness Crew students have planned activities, while taking leadership in others. Some activities they worked on earlier in the school year include the annual Trunk or Treat, youth summits, and participating in last month’s Sebago Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce Polar Dip.
Delana Perkins is a Windham High School senior who has been a member of the Kindness Crew since her junior year. She joined instead of spending time with her friends in the morning to help others in the community.
“My favorite part about this club is the bond we have, between fellow high schoolers and the community. The club brings awareness about mental health, where everyone finds many people have their own struggles, making people realize they are not alone,” said Perkins.
Spring is a busy season for the Kindness Crew members. Upcoming events for the students include the Smashing Stigma Campaign, the Yellow Tulip Project and a variety of Windham Parks and Recreation experiences.
The hope for students participating in these events is to help people of all kinds to feel more comfortable and willing to talk openly about mental health, while spreading awareness and being kind.
The Kindness Crew is all about promoting resilience and mental stamina to help enhance communication within, Dubois said.
Those are one of many ways shown they can interact with the community to spread positivity, she said.
Mental health can have a large impact on a person’s daily life. Whether it’s giving someone a thank you letter or listening to a person who wants to be heard, kindness can go a long way. <
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