Bubbles and music filled the air at North Salem Middle/High School's sixth annual Mental Health and Wellness Fair. Students challenged each other to top the push-ups leaderboard, drew bright chalk flowers on the blacktop, and cuddled with therapy tortoises, chickens, and rabbits. The fair was a hub of activity, with laughter and thoughtful discussions creating a warm and energetic atmosphere. The theme of "Connection" provided a stimulating approach to sharing mental health resources while cultivating a supportive environment to reduce stigma.
Annaleen, a sophomore and president of the school's Warr;or's Club, helped organize the event, with guidance from school counselor Melissa Smith. Her vision was clear, "I want everyone to have fun and learn something new. Events like this bring everyone together and help us connect and understand each other better before the added stress of AP exams and finals."
The arts played a therapeutic role, with the ArtsWestchester ArtsMobile guiding students to create spring garden sculptures out of clay. "Creating art can be very comforting and boost self-esteem," said Vicky Youngman. "We're focusing on spring gardens because of growth and renewal, drawing a parallel between mental health and new growth."
Nurturing physical wellness alongside mental health, fitness stations challenged students with push-up contests and shuttle runs. "Fitness can improve stress and anxiety by raising dopamine, the happy hormone, while lowering cortisol, the stress hormone," said physical education teacher Lou Villani.
The heart of the fair centered on cultivating connections—with others and with oneself. "We don't always consider that a relationship, but it's the longest one we have," said Jay Tyler from My Sister's Place, who encouraged self-reflection by asking students to identify what they like about themselves. Nearby, the Women's Resource Center facilitated thought-provoking discussions about healthy relationships using realistic scenarios to identify red and green flags in friendships and romantic relationships.
As students planted flowers, learned beneficial sleep habits from Northern Westchester Hospital nurses, and played whimsical games, a powerful message emerged: prioritizing mental health strengthens the entire community. Representatives from the Croton Falls Fire Department, Westchester County Police Department, and Ruth Keeler Memorial Library demonstrated the community's strength and support of North Salem students, making the event a genuine community effort.
"This is an opportunity to take a break and laugh and have fun with friends. We want to normalize talking about mental health so people feel comfortable being themselves," said sophomore Warr;ors Club member Allison. "It's great that we can all come together as a school in a fun way and talk about a usually dark topic."
