School-Wide Wellness
Empowering schools and communities to support teen mental health through evidence-based wellness initiatives and comprehensive resources.
Start Planning Your Wellness DaySchool Wellness Day Planning Guide
A comprehensive step-by-step guide to organizing impactful mental health wellness days that create lasting positive change in your school community. To support your work, we have created a Wellness Day Template, to help you with concrete next steps, who is leading those next steps, and more! Click on the above link to access the template and please MAKE A COPY of the google doc, so that you can enter your own information.
6-8 Weeks Before: Foundation Planning
Form planning committee with students, teachers, counselors, and administrators. Set a date and establish a budget. Begin outreach to potential speakers and mental health professionals if you would like to host an assembly and speak about the importance of mental health in school.
4-6 Weeks Before: Program Development
Contact teachers/administrators to finalize activity schedule, confirm guest speakers, order materials and supplies. Create promotional materials and begin advertising the event to students through your homepage, posters, daily announcements, etc.
2-4 Weeks Before: Final Preparations
Make sure teachers have fully prepared their activity stations and distribute detailed schedules to staff. Send reminder communications and gather final attendance numbers a few days before the event.
Event Day: Implementation
Execute the wellness day program, monitor activities, gather feedback from participants. Document the event with photos and testimonials for future planning.
1-2 Weeks After: Follow-up
Send thank you notes to participants and volunteers. Analyze feedback, create impact report, and plan further events based on lessons learned.
Recommended Wellness Day Activities
A diverse range of engaging activities designed to promote mental health, reduce stress, and foster a supportive school environment. To support your work, Gale Ranch Middle School shared a sample list of activities [List], Click on the link to access the template and please MAKE A COPY of the google doc, so that you can enter your own information.
🧘♀️ Skill-Building & Personal Growth
Learning new life skills helps build confidence and gives you tools to handle stress and challenges more effectively.
🎨 Art Therapy
Art therapy that provides healthy outlets for emotions and stress relief.
📚 Mental Health Education
Interactive workshops covering topics like recognizing mental health warning signs, coping strategies, and when to seek help.
🤝 Connection & Community
Spending time with others in positive, supportive environment and activities that encourage teamwork helps reduce feelings of isolation and boosts happiness.
🏃♂️ Sports
Movement activities and exercise demonstrations showing the connection between physical activity and mental health.
🎭 Interactive Workshops
Fun, hands-on, engaging activities that teach creative ways to relax, de-stress, and boost your mental wellness.
A Day at a Glance
(Minimum Day)
(Minimum Day)
(Full Day)
💡 Implementation Tips for Success
- Start Small: Begin with a half-day event and expand based on feedback and resources
- Involve Students: Include student voices in planning to ensure engagement and leadership once you've left
- Choose the Right Time: After exams season, avoiding busy school weeks to ensure better participation
- Create Safe Spaces: Establish clear guidelines for safety and respectful communication
- Follow Up: Create student feedback forms and implement their results, create mental health resources beyond the event
- Use Sign-ups: For limited space workshops, online or on-paper sign up sheets really help with organization
Mental Health Facts & Statistics
Understanding the scope of teen mental health challenges helps us create more effective support systems and interventions.
Key Research Findings
📈 Rising Trends in Teen Mental Health
According to the American Pyschological Association, nearly half of all teens face school-related pressure and stress. Because of this, teens are finding unhealthy coping mechanisms to deal with their stress.
source🏫 School Environment Impact
A positive school climate--characterized by supportive teacher-student/peer relationships, percieved safety, and clear reporting paths-- is signficantly linked to lower levels of depression, anxiety, impulsivity, hostility and other internalizing symptoms among students.
source🤝 Power of Peer Support
Peer support programs in schools have been shown to improve mental health-related quality of life, increase engagement with support services, and reduce hospitalization and inpatient days for individuals with mental health conditions.
source💪 Building Resilience
Cultivating positive emotions--such as optimism, humor, reappraisal, and gratitude--enhances creative problem-solving, speeds recovery from stress, and supports overall pyschological adaptability.
sourceMental Health Resources for Teens
Comprehensive support resources including crisis hotlines, apps, websites, and local support options to help teens access the mental health support they need.
🆘 Crisis Support - Available 24/7
Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
Free, confidential support for anyone in distress
Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741
📱 Mental Health Apps
- Headspace - Guided meditation and mindfulness
- Calm - Sleep stories, meditation, relaxation
- MyPossibleSelf - Manage anxiety, stress, and low mood
- MindShift - CBT-based anxiety management
- Youper - AI-powered emotional health assistant
- PTSD Coach - Self-care and symptom management
🌐 Helpful Websites
- Mental Health Literacy - Comprehensive youth mental health information
- NAMI.org - National Alliance on Mental Illness resources
- JED Campus - College mental health advocacy
- Mental Health America - Screening tools and resources
- Crisis Text Line - 24/7 text-based crisis support
- SAMHSA - Treatment locator and resources
📞 Support Hotlines
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: 988
- Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741
- SAMHSA Helpline: 1-800-487-4889
- Teen Line: 1-800-852-8336
- NAMI Helpline: 1-800-950-6264
- Trevor Project (LGBTQ+): 1-866-488-7386
🏥 Professional Support
- Psychology Today - Find local therapists and counselors
- SAMHSA Treatment Locator - Find treatment facilities
- Open Path Therapy - Affordable therapy options
- BetterHelp - Online therapy platform
- Talkspace - Text-based therapy services
- School Counselors - Contact your school guidance office
📚 Educational Resources
- Mental Health First Aid - Training and certification
- NAMI Ending the Silence - School presentations
- JED Campus - College mental health programs
- Active Minds - Student mental health advocacy
- Born This Way Foundation - Kindness and mental wellness
- National Sleep Foundation - Sleep and mental health
👥 Support Groups & Communities
- NAMI Support Groups - Local in-person groups
- 7 Cups - Online emotional support community
- Mental Health America Groups - Peer support networks
- Support Groups Central - Find local groups
- SMART Recovery - Self-management and recovery
- School Clubs: Start or join mental health awareness clubs
🔍 How to Find Help
Consider seeking help if you experience persistent sadness, anxiety, changes in sleep or appetite, difficulty concentrating, thoughts of self-harm, or if daily activities become challenging for more than two weeks.
Therapy provides a safe, confidential space to discuss your thoughts and feelings. Your therapist will work with you to develop coping strategies, understand patterns, and work toward your goals at your own pace.
Listen without judgment, encourage them to seek professional help, offer to accompany them to appointments, check in regularly, and take care of your own mental health too. Know the warning signs and when to seek immediate help.
About This Project
This Teen Mental Health & Wellness Hub was created as part of a Girl Scout Silver Award project to address the growing mental health crisis among teenagers. Our mission is to provide schools and communities with practical tools and resources to support teen mental wellness.
Our Wellness Day Experience
Our school, Gale Ranch Middle School in San Ramon, held a wellness day on a minimum day, where students got to choose three sessions through an online sign-up system.Under the guidance of Ms. Davenport, teachers hosted activities like arts and crafts, painting, meditation, short films, and sports. Based on the students survery, overall, students enjoyed the day, teachers managed their sessions well, and the schedule ran smoothly thanks to clear instructions. And 90% of the students felt this helped de-stress their day!
What We Learned
We learned a lot from this project; improving our communication, teamwork, and leadership skills while facing challenges such as finding an advisor and coordinating among many individuals. With the mentorship of Ms. Davenport, we were able to navigate the Wellness Day planning process, contribute ideas, and learn how to stay organized and effective even when we weren't leading the implementation. We also learned the importance of staying proactive and following up consistently to keep a project moving forward. Mr. Scott guided us with attention to detail and encouraged us to be precise and honest about the experience, while also reminding us that our work should meaningfully help others for example, by creating templates and resources rather than just completing yet another project. Overall, this project gave us valuable lessons we will carry into the future.
Made with ❤️ by Girl Scout Troop #31083
Dedicated to creating positive change in teen mental health support and advocacy.