Student Wellness Coalition

Project Theme: Mental Health

Target Audience and Location: Students of Color attending Hightower High School in Missouri City, Texas.

Mission: To improve mental health resources and self-care tips available to People of Color by providing regular meeting spaces, trained professionals and wellness activities.

Project Description: Student Scholar Isabel Ohakamma and educator Scholar Dr. John Ramon were laser-focused on their school’s need for resources and opportunities to improve mental health. Isabel, inspired by her own experiences, had the idea of a coalition the year before she became a Scholar. The pandemic and remote learning exacerbated that need for mental health support and delayed her ability to safely take action.

When her team started to develop and implement their project, it was important they focused on this need specifically for people of color, where there can be more stigma attached to sharing about mental health and more challenges accessing resources. The team launched the Coalition in the fall, which hosts activities for students at their high school. Each on-campus event focuses on mental health education, stress-relief and self-care to address a specific community need.

Recognizing the importance of incorporating a holistic approach, Isabel acknowledges, “A person’s mental state can affect every other aspect of their lives, such as their grades, behavior, and physical health. Ensuring that people of color have this type of assistance is vital because it can contribute to overall success in other aspects of their lives.”

Watch this team’s project presentation at our virtual showcase event!