(5/1) Mental Health Awareness Month is here, and the community is honoring the occasion through a variety of activities leading into and throughout the month of May. Hosting these activities, Catoctin High School’s Mental Health Awareness Club encourages the wide participation of students, staff, and other locals of the Catoctin area. The club was created in 2020 by two freshmen with a shared concern for the lack of support around mental health in the school and community. The Mental Health Awareness Club now has 20 members, including myself, that are all determined to promote self-care and dismantle the stigma around mental illness.

It is a clear consensus among the Catoctin community that there must be more outreach for those struggling with mental illness. We have witnessed the tragic loss of members of our community due to suicide, and the damaging effects of the lack of awareness towards mental illness. It is crucial that self-care is prioritized and a system of support is established. The Mental Health Awareness Club strives to construct this support system through events, contests, informative and inspirational online posts, and other approaches.

These Mental Health Awareness activities serve to promote healthy habits, including sobriety and healthy sleep schedules. CHS has partnered with the Thurmont Addictions Commission to host the 4th annual Substance Abuse Awareness Poster Contest throughout April, to spread awareness of the negative effects of substance abuse and addiction. The submitted posters were to be displayed at the high school during and following the contest for substance abuse education and awareness. Winners are to be announced April 30th and will receive a monetary prize of the following: First Place--$100, Second Place--$75, or Third Place--$50. The Mental Health Awareness Club also held a "Healthy Sleep Challenge" this past April, where CHS students submitted a log of their sleep routine each day for a week. With 25 selected winners, each submission was a chance to win one of 25 prizes. These prizes included a weighted blanket, sleep masks, a memory foam pillow, fuzzy socks, a sound soother, dream journals, and several other items to encourage healthy sleep.

In another initiative, the club will be sharing one informative and inspirational Google Slide every day throughout Mental Health Awareness Month. There will be 31 slides in total, with a different theme for each day of the week. "Celebrity Sundays" will tell about a celebrity who has been affected by mental illness. "Mindfulness Mondays" will share techniques to practice being mindful, present, and aware. "Togetherness Tuesdays" will focus on different clubs, support groups, and networks in Frederick County that support mental health in any way. "Wellness Wednesdays" will advertise any sort of wellness activities or resources. "Thankful Thursdays" will reflect on how we can practice gratitude and why it is important for our mental health. Finally, "Community Spotlight Fridays" will focus on an agency, person, or resource that is especially notable in relation to mental health. These slides will be promoted on different platforms, including our social media pages.

Perhaps the club’s most significant activity is the "Be Kind to Your Mind" Virtual Wellness Challenge that is currently underway. The purpose of the event is to present a reason to get active and support our physical, emotional, and mental health. The wellness challenge was originally planned as a 5K that would take place in May of last year, but was unfortunately cancelled due to the pandemic. Although it is no longer a 5K, the event is now ready to take off in a virtual setting a year later for Mental Health Awareness Month. The challenge is to "run, walk, skip, meander, or dance your way to logging miles." Daily challenges will be posted on the event’s website throughout May. Awards will be given out to the participants who have logged the most miles, and there will be giveaways for active involvement. The top 200 participants will be determined by both the amount of miles and frequency of logs, and will be awarded a finisher’s medal. Total miles will be tallied on May 31st, and the winners will be announced shortly after. Registration is free and is still open to the public. By registering, you are able to log activities and take part in the event. To register, participate, and find more details, you can access the "Be Kind to Your Mind" Virtual Wellness Challenge website at chsbekindtoyourmind.weebly.com. The website will display photos of the event posted on social media.

Those considering contributing financially to our club can choose to donate, fundraise, or purchase promotional products or gear from the swag shop on the virtual wellness challenge website. You can also contribute by sponsoring the event so that the club can bring more self-care incentives to Catoctin High School. "As a sponsor, you not only help to fund the challenge, but you are also directly impacting mental health in our community," the site reads. "The students who participate in the Mental Health Awareness Club are driven and motivated toward improving our community, particularly in addressing mental health and addiction needs. Without you, our impact is limited." The club is grateful to our sponsors that have contributed $500, earning the title of "Gold Sponsors": Milton Hershey School, the Car Care Crew at washluberepair.com, and the Frederick County Health Department--as well as our "Silver Sponsors" that have contributed $250: Baker Tree Services, Inc., Thurmont Little League, and Winterbrook Farms--and our several "Bronze Sponsors" who have contributed $100. The club appreciates their contributions and those of the many others who have donated. Sponsorship opportunities and forms can also be found on the chsbekindtoyourmind.weebly.com website.

If you’d like to support us online, you can help our social media presence grow by following and interacting with us online. You can find our Facebook page at @CHSMHAC, our Twitter account at @CatoctinMHAC, and our Instagram account at @catoctinmhac. These accounts actively provide updates on upcoming activities, share informative posts regarding health, and (re)post encouraging reminders and lessons about self-care.