This article is one of the winning submissions from the first annual New York Post Scholars Contest, presented by Command Education.
Foosball tables, dogs and comfy chairs? Sounds like someone’s ideal man-cave or girl-cave, but instead … this is the Wellness Room at Mountain Lakes High School (MLHS), a place where kids can get some R&R during the school day. From SATs and ACTs to college applications, not to mention extracurriculars and annoying school tests, school can be extremely stressful for the striving teen. However, MLHS is implementing many tools to try to help students hit that stress on the head.
The room at MLHS is designed to be a place where weary and overwhelmed students can relax and recharge their batteries. Those students who would like to take a “time out” from their school day can head over to this room during lunchtime, either alone or with their friends. Since the beginning of the pandemic, when many students at home could relax by lounging on comfy couches, tossing a ball with their dog, and engaging in a quick game of foosball, the return to school has been challenging for some. According to MLHS Student Assistance Director Cara Pagan, the goal of the Wellness Room was to “give students a safe place to be and focus on their overall wellness. We wanted students to have a place where they can breathe and unplug from the stressors of the day, even if just for a few minutes.” It was initially an idea dating to 2016, but its creation was slowed by the pandemic and space issues. It was finally opened in 2021, and has been more successful than Ms. Pagan imagined. She states that the wellness room “has had hundreds of visits to date and has exceeded my vision. I see it giving students another space to relax when the cafeteria can feel too overwhelming.”
Ms. Pagan knows what she is talking about. Mental health problems are very common in high school students. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) reports that in teens aged 13-17, 14% experience mood disorders, 32% experience anxiety disorders, and 19% experience behavior disorders. Therefore, wellness rooms may help students to manage their mood and behavior and research backs this up. Malka Moya at Brigham Young University conducted a study examining perceptions of high school wellness centers in 752 students, 124 parents and 69 school staff. She and her co-authors found that these wellness centers had positive impacts on students’ academic success, mood, confidence and coping. Visits to the wellness centers were correlated with less stress and anxiety.
MLHS classes start at 8:05 am, when most students are half-asleep, walking like zombies, and clutching their liquid caffeine of choice. The lack of sleep, combined with the numerous tests, projects and demands, can make the school day feel overwhelming. Many students are overwhelmed by not only school demands but also by other stressors. These can include nagging parents, snarky peers and boyfriend or girlfriend drama. In addition, many students are torn between their growing responsibilities as they become adults, including preparing for college with college applications as well as internships and jobs. This is why things like the Wellness Center at MLHS can serve as a temporary refuge or “bubble” from life.
The Wellness Center is continually evolving, and Ms. Pagan states, “I am always looking for new ways to promote wellness … things are always changing. Our world is not the same as it was three years ago and neither are the needs of our students.” The counseling department is promoting wellness in other ways in addition to the wellness room by coordinating presentations, wellness fair, Peer Mentor program, therapy dog class visits, an art wellness group and individual counseling. Students can access information regarding the Wellness Center and other initiatives on Instagram @mlhsmentalhealthmatters.
It is obvious that student wellness is at the forefront of MLHS and the Wellness Room serves as a great place to relax and unwind when one is longing for their man-cave or girl-cave at home but is stuck in school reciting French conjugations. It is a good way to recharge one’s mental batteries while at school and be ready to ace that Biology Lab or Spanish test.
An 11th-grader at Mountain Lakes High School in New Jersey, Lee wants to become a women’s health care and rights advocate.
