On April 16, white pop-up gazebos displaying colorful signs dotted the Great Lawn; sparkling hula hoops glistened in the afternoon sun; strawberry-red bean bags rested in stacks by their respective cornholes and a large game of Jenga waited patiently while the Wellness Fair volunteers propped up their stations, preparing for the anticipated rush of students.
The Advanced Peer Counseling (APC) class tediously organized the event. Each station provided a dedicated activity facilitated by adult volunteers, counselors and students.
“The planning process took several months,” counselor Janet Svoboda said. “We began brainstorming at the start of the school year, meeting weekly with our APC presidents to develop ideas.”
The day prior to the event, APC students spent their afternoon hanging posters and etching pastel chalk drawings onto the campus pavements. In accordance with a larger effort this year, APC expanded their fair, hoping to generate a more interactive environment for students to explore.
“The goal was to promote mental health and wellness awareness at OPHS by bringing together community partners, mental health organizations, campus clubs and interactive activities in a fun and engaging environment,” Svoboda said.
At one booth, juniors Daniela Trivelli and Evan Rubenstein handed out free squishes and promoted the Beginning Peer Counseling (BPC). Down the line were a host of other clubs, including the Gender Sexuality Alliance (GSA) with senior Avery Nguyen presiding over it.
“The purpose is just to make sure that all kids, regardless of their identities, feel safe on whatever campus they’re on,” Nguyen said. “You know those magnets that you see in teachers’ classrooms that say ‘the future is inclusive’? We made [them].”
Another stall showed a club dedicated to the mental health of student athletes: Breaking the Stigma.
“It’s really about engaging athletes because it can be really hard if you have a tough coach or [if], you know, [you struggle with] your academics or if you want to navigate the recruiting process,” junior Samantha Liba said.
In addition to student participation, adults played a large role in the fair. The counselors ran games within their respective booths and gave prizes to students. Volunteers held informational sessions on their own organizations. Under the Alliance of Therapy Dogs, Nilly Cobaugh Smith attended the event with Ranger, a therapy dog invited to provide comfort to students.
“He gets excited for car rides, enjoys his pup cups and, most of all, loves making people happy,” Smith said.
The Wellness Fair was the result of a lengthy collaborative effort between various independent parties, who came together to foster a welcoming and social environment where students had the opportunity to engage with their peers.
