Cameron Neisler

Sophomore Ashleigh Morelli pages through a magazine, looking for inspiring pieces to decorate her self-care card. Morelli decorated her card with pictures and songs that will help her stay calm. “I know that I can turn to the cards to look at them like when I’m stressed out. Sometimes I can’t really think of what to do, so I just stress out even more,” Morelli said. “With these cards, I will be able to look at them and know that I’ll be fine.”

Students leaf through magazines and scribble down encouraging messages onto self-care cards. Decorated with motivational elements like pictures and quotes, health and P.E. teacher Katelyn Arenos’ second-hour health class utilized their creative skills to create ‘self-care cards’ as they learn about mental health.

“It’s a tool for students to use during stressful times. Students can look at these cards, and they will help them and encourage them to have a good day and to keep going in a positive way. They will give them a sense of hope and resiliency to keep moving forward,” Arenos said. 

Sophomore Ashleigh Morelli decorated her card with songs and activities that will help to relieve her stress. 

“I think it’s important to learn how to de-stress because kids in high school get so stressed, which can lead to anxiety and depression,” Morelli said. “Sometimes they’re so stressed out that they can’t function. It’s really important to de-stress because you need to take time to yourself sometimes to not worry about anything else.” 

Sophomore Laurel Rakers enjoyed working on the project and has already found the cards useful in boosting her mood.

“It was fun to write things down that made us happy. [The cards] made my day,” Rakers said. 

Students have discussed mental health in the class, which is an issue that Arenos says is becoming more important in our society. 

“Stress is a part of our lives, and it is important to learn how to deal with stress in a positive way, rather than just shutting down, quitting or letting it progress to possible depression,” Arenos said. “We have to remember that life is precious. We all have to deal with stress so that we can keep moving forward.”