Princeton Day School’s Mental Health Awareness Club, co-led by junior Olivia Lumba and seniors Gabrielle Kratee and Luke Nolte, works to promote open conversations and a comfortable environment around mental health. The club meets every Day 5 during community block and focuses on building a safe environment where students can share anything from their daily routine to more personal matters. 

“We wanted the whole school to get involved, and a survey showed that many students wanted mental health to be talked about more,” Nolte explained. The idea for Mental Health Week came from looking at other successful programs at other schools in the area. Working with the Counseling Department, Ms. Peck Nolte and Dr. Dawson, the club planned a week of activities and speakers designed to reach students and encourage them to seek support when needed. Nolte said, “Mental Health Week encapsulates how speakers can reach kids and help them understand that they have resources and support.”

Lumba emphasized the club’s dual purpose: raising awareness while giving students practical tools. “School can be stressful,” she noted. “It’s important to create mental health awareness while also creating a space where students can de-stress and learn healthy coping mechanisms.” 

The impact of these efforts is evident in the student body. One student, who wishes to remain anonymous, shared their experience with depression since seventh grade. “Mental Health Week actually impacted me a lot,” they said. “It made me realize I’m not the only one who goes through stuff like this, and hearing other people talk about it made me feel a bit less alone. It reminded me that it’s okay to not be okay…I think what really kept me going were my friends.” Through initiatives like this, the Mental Health Club continues to have a supportive community where students know that they don’t have to face their challenges alone.