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AHS Swell Club Raises Mental Health Awareness

by All Good Living Foundation On In Alameda Life | Comments Disabled
Alameda Post - a close up photo of the wrists of five high school students. They are wearing beaded bracelets that say "Swell" [1]
One of the meetings Swell holds every year is dedicated to making beaded bracelets that feature positive messages. Photo Katie Stockton.

Alameda High School students created a club called Swell to spread awareness and fight the stigma that often surrounds mental health issues. Partnering with the Alliance on Mental Illness [2], these AHS students formed Swell as a club that is open to all students on campus and provides a safe place for students to de-stress during hosted events at lunch. They’ve had great success and share this movement across all middle and high schools in Alameda.

Statistically, 58% of youth are concerned with mental health, and having clubs like Swell at school is a great way to help kids deal with the stresses of being middle or high school students in this day and age. Way to go, Swell of AHS!

Alameda Post - high school students sitting at their desks look at the camera and show off bracelets saying "You got this" and bright yellow ribbons [3]
Swell members created green ribbons during National Mental Health Awareness Month. Photo Katie Stockton.
Alameda Post - two pictures in the same location at the front of a school classroom. A projected image on the whiteboard says "End the Stigma." In the left photo, three students wearing white and green hoodies are turned away from the camera and pointing to the back of their hoodies over their shoulders. The hoodies also say "End the Stigma." In the right photo, five students stand in the same place and smile at the camera. THey hold small bright yellow ribbons. [4]
Left: Swell members enjoyed showing off new club hoodies made by All Good Living to spread the message of ending the stigma surrounding mental health. Right: Swell members display their ribbons. Pictured left to right: Max Olsen, Lily Le, Lauren Stockton, Riva James, Kristen Suh. Photos Katie Stockton.
Alameda Post - two side by side photos. On the left, a trifold cardboard display says "Swell" and lists information about the club. On the Right, students sit and stand around a group of desks with supplies in the middle [5]
Left: Every year at AHS there is a club day where all clubs come together in order to gain new members. This was the Swell booth. Right: During a wintertime Swell club meeting, members created gift bags to pass out to friends during the stress of finals season. Photos Katie Stockton.
Alameda Post- faculty and students stand in front of a poster on the wall. It says "End the Stigma. " and includes statistics about mental health. National Mental Health Hotline 988 [6]
Swell worked alongside Justice Murals to create a mural on the AHS campus to spread mental health awareness. Pictured left to right: Mr. Honeywell, Lily Le, Lauren Stockton, Allison Kwon, Tabitha Kim, Kathryn Stockton, Mr. Lowy. Photo Katie Stockton.

This content was provided by the All Good Living Foundation as part of their mission to support Bay Area children in need. Learn more about AGLF and their mission on their website [7].