Throughout the transitional period of adolescence, there are two things often stressed to us: our grades and our mental health. This is no different for many students at West Salem High School; community building is encouraged, as is seeking out support through school programs, staff, and administrators. That being said, is it truly plausible that students’ individual needs will be met in a public school environment? Although this question is somewhat broad, students in the Titan community have some personal accounts to share, from making connections within said community to connecting with peers and/or admin in a time of crisis or need. Moreover, some members of the staff are also considering this question and working towards an answer that proves substantial.
It’s important to take into account the perspective of students getting involved with the school in order to determine if they are generally being supported within it. Senior Ava Miller, who currently participates in Leadership, AVID, and cross country, emphasizes that the relationships you form are integral for your time in school. “It’s really about the connection that you build with people at the school so that you do feel supported. The people that aren’t really connecting with their teachers, I don’t think they feel supported.”
Ava has been able to connect with teachers and students alike through her respective programs. While reflecting on her time in AVID, she said that “It feels like a family; we’re all comfortable with each other, and we all know each other. I feel like that’s definitely helped build a support system, because if there’s one person in that class there’s always usually 5-10 other people checking on what’s going on.” Ava additionally expressed her love for cross country and the overall benefits of running for mental health. “Running is like 90% mental, 10% physical – that’s what everybody tells me and it’s so true…I’ve mainly found my community in sports; that’s where I found my people.”
The notion that “finding your people” can improve your mentality, as well as encourage you to reach out for help in a time of need, should absolutely hold some weight. Even in the midst of more serious issues, having that support on a daily basis could make a real difference. However, how easy has it been to find this in the staff at West? Some feel that much of the school admin remains closed off from students on an individual basis, more looking at the bigger picture in regards to the community.
“I think a big part of it is that they just don’t have the resources to provide as much help to the student population as they want to,” said Alex Mulhern-Reed, a senior involved in various clubs and programs such as tech theater, GSA, and track. “I think that a big part of it is that they’re not unwilling to do it; they just literally don’t have the resources and/or the knowledge base for some things.”
Similar to Ava, Alex has been able to find support by means of the school’s other resources.“I think students can really easily find community through things like clubs and sports and just other activities. It’s really easy to do that. But I feel like a lot of those things are also student run, which helps.” Alex also suggested that the size of the school doesn’t always work in its favor. “You’re always going to be able to find a space somewhere. It’s just, it also means that there’s not a lot of like availability in the support from school staff because there’s so many people. I think a lot of students slip through their cracks because of that.”
He isn’t the only student who feels this way. One anonymous student recounted a negative experience that they had with the staff at West during a moment of urgency. “I came to school. Had an issue with a teacher and had a panic attack. I was in the middle of the halls and it was past passing period. They found me, kind of switched me off between staff members to get me down to the office…” According to this student, the staff treated them somewhat passively, as if they were unsure how to respond to the situation. “It seemed like the person who was with me didn’t really know what to do with me. [I was] hyperventilating. It was a bad experience overall.”
The student also reflected on the staff as a whole, including both positive attributes and some faults (despite what could be well-intentioned). “I generally feel supported by the teachers because they are working one on one with students. I don’t feel supported by the staff [administration]. Usually I just see them wandering the halls looking for people to talk to or get in trouble…it doesn’t make me feel like they’re looking out for my best interest.” Ava stated something similar, even implying some of the consequences of a larger school setting. “These are your students. I mean, shouldn’t you be trying to build relationships with everyone and not just certain kids?”
Despite the leveling experiences among students, it is worth noting that there are plenty of members of the Titan staff who strive to make West a safer and more supportive environment for everyone. One of these individuals is Chris Wood, who runs the Calm Room as well as takes part in the school’s GSA, or Gender-Sexuality Alliance club.
According to Chris, one of the main benefits of the Calm Room is that it is an equally laidback and more accessible environment for students. “We talk, we can play games, [the students] can take personal space. They can even do work if they want to work in a quiet area. It’s a way for them to succeed in school.” The Calm Room is open every period of the day except for lunch, so students have a very large window of opportunity to utilize it. “Counselors are also here for everyone. But I just feel like the Calm Room is an easy resource for students to at least try. It’s more accessible because counselors are not always going to be available.”
In regards to the wider spectrum of finding support at West, Chris advised to “Speak up, just let us know what you would like.” This sentiment applies to emotional outreach as well as just making yourself seen in the communities you wish to take part in. “Last year there was a student who wanted to be part of GSA, but his schedule didn’t work. So he brought up the idea that he would love for GSA to do an ally lunch so that he could at least participate with GSA. When he brought that idea to me, I made it happen…It was great seeing the community, the students come together for this. So if a student has an idea and I know about it, I’m going to do everything I can to make it happen. So any support that I can provide, I will be there.”
The GSA club is additionally overseen by teachers Laruen Ferrell and Madeleine Hannah. Ferrell also works as an assistant facilitator for the district’s Pride Council, which is in charge of all events focused on lgbtq+ for students, staff, and family. “I try to be an advocate for students and I want to encourage my students if ever they have a problem with me, another student, another staff member, family, whatever they come to come to me as a safe space and resource,” said Ferrell.
Ferrell also claimed that part of the issue students are facing in seeking out support and community is the fear that those needs will not be individually met. “I don’t know if the size of school necessarily matters as much as the time that we’re in currently where students don’t feel safe existing as their authentic selves.” That being said, it is the responsibility of the staff to make themselves known as a resource. “I think one of the biggest barriers for students, besides maybe not knowing about the services that we have in the district, is that it’s not always communicated effectively in all schools. But I think students will sometimes get in their own way out of fear, which is normal.”
With that in mind, Madeleine Hannah had the opportunity to witness the freedom that the GSA club has given to students who may have struggled to express themselves otherwise. “I have genuinely heard that it’s a place that has really helped people with their mental health and figuring out who they want to be and feeling accepted when maybe they don’t feel that way at home.” The program offers a lot of opportunities for personal growth (e.g. community outreach, self expression through various projects, etc.), allowing students to thrive in an uplifting environment.
In consideration of students thriving as a whole, Hannah assured that “everybody who works at the school really cares – we’re here to help and support students. I do think that there are certainly some times when at least the feeling that students get is that they’re not being heard, or that they’re falling through the cracks. I think part of that is just that there’s like a lot of processes to get people support they need.”
Hannah also acknowledged the importance of maintaining outreach and support for a diverse student population. “When we look at the student body, we have a really diverse group of students,” said Hannah. “I think that there are a lot of students in minority groups, or my personal area of GSA that oftentimes are not feeling quite as connected in the school.” Although the school administration as a whole may exhibit some shortcomings here, that isn’t to say it’s unamendable. “Often what is missing is a conversation, which I know the admin and teachers are definitely open to. So if you are a student and you’re feeling like there is a gap [in the community], definitely share that with a trusted adult and take the initiative.”
Of course, given that a greater amount of support (outside of community-building) is needed, it is often suggested to seek out help from the school counselors primarily. Although some people may misconceive counselors to only be a recourse for classes and college planning, they are often the initial point of outreach for students in regards to their mental health. Taylor Lane, one of several counselors at West, can attest to this. “We’re the ones that can make referrals to mental health therapists, get families connected with resources, do suicide prevention protocols with students or talk to students about self harm; any kind of mental health related situations that may come up.”
Lane elaborated that a big part of counselors making themselves known as a resource lies in how actively they are involved with their students. “I think you’ll find this in pretty much any counseling department. There’s going to be gaps, right? Because maybe students don’t know how to access our space or don’t feel comfortable coming and accessing this space on their own. And so I think that most teams could improve or market themselves better, like making ourselves a little bit more visible.”
With that in mind, she advises that students speaking up for themselves and each other improves the ability of counselors to provide support. She emphasized that they “really depend on students advocating for themselves, but also friends looking out for friends…If you don’t know where to go, if you find yourself in the C wing and in the counseling center, we can help you find where to go. So if you don’t know where to start, start with us and we’ll guide you to the right place.”
It is also worth making note of the other members of the administration whose focus is to provide necessary support for students’ overall success. Located in the library near the checkout desk is Rachel Blackwood-Perez, our school social worker who can help you navigate potential resources in a time of need. This includes connecting you to a counselor associated with the school, as well as mental health professionals within the Salem-Keizer community. Her job is to provide a listening ear for those who are connected to her, and she additionally facilitates short-term interventions as needed. Students can get a referral from their counselors to see Ms. Perez or stop by her office near the main desk in the library. Additionally, she can be reached at [email protected].
On a broader scale of student outreach is Melissa Reynaga, our community outreach coordinator. Reynaga supports students and families in regards to their basic needs for school and home, as well as facilitating this support through admin, case managers, and projects such as the Migrant program, the Native American Program, MVP program, etc. In her partnership with various organizations, such as the Salem Leadership Foundation and the Salem Free Clinic, she’s able to coordinate school supplies, clothing, hygiene supplies, medical referrals, food assistance, holiday boxes, and other commodities to help students and families thrive. She additionally works to plan 2-3 service projects a year, including the upcoming Titan Harvest Festival on October 30th, giving students a chance to give back to the community. You can reach her at [email protected], call her directly at 503-399-3793, or stop by her office at T320.
“Students, we depend on you to help us identify students that aren’t self identifying,” said Lane. “If you have a friend that’s struggling with mental health, you don’t have to do that on your own. Let us help lighten that load for everyone involved by taking on the heavier things while you guys still support each other as friends and have community.”
In the instance of a genuine crisis, keep in mind the resources offered outside of West. The 988 Suicide Crisis Hotline is available to text or call if you need a safe outlet.
The revision of support surrounding student’s mental health and community-building is likely to remain an ongoing process. However, that doesn’t mean that students should feel entirely hopeless when reaching out in any capacity. In addition to students advocating for themselves, Ferrell emphasized the benefit of developing relationships with those who will advocate for you. “Find your people, find people who are like-minded who will advocate for you when you need it… it’s very easy to be like oh everybody sucks, but I promise that the vast majority don’t”
It’s safe to say that you cannot truly measure the community of an establishment without attempting to find your own within it. “Be yourself,” said Hannah, “Be your loud, weird, strange self. Lean into your strangest interests…put yourself out there, and be unafraid to be your unique self. That would be my number one piece of advice is to seek people who enjoy what you enjoy or who are willing to learn about stuff that you like.” What’s most important is that students find and carry out the ways in which they can truly thrive, whether that be at West or in their personal lives. Additionally, it’s up to the staff to ensure that Titans are thriving individually in order to truly function as a unit.
