AP Psych students during Mental Health Awareness Week helped classmates alleviate stress with smoothies and dancing. (photo by: High School Counseling)

Today’s students feel immense amounts of pressure and stress. Since 2013, teens have reported stress levels which exceed those of adults.

• 61% of teens say stress and anxiety have a large impact on their lives.
• 42% of teens say they are not doing enough to manage their stress.
• 22% of teens actively seek support to reduce, manage, and eliminate stress.

Chaminade College Preparatory wants to help alleviate the stress, and during Chaminade Gala in March, Heather Eaton and Juliana Gallant, heads of the middle school and high school counseling departments, announced the creation of a Wellness Program.

It is a priority of the school to help students achieve school/life balance, manage stress, and prepare students for success, and is directly addressed in Chaminade’s new strategic plan. The idea of making emotional health and overall well-being a priority is not a new concept for Chaminade. This is an expansion of the school’s vision to develop resilient young women and young men who are adaptable self-advocates who successfully balance school and life.

To make this important initiative a reality, Chaminade parents, alumni faculty, staff, and friends were asked to invest in the newly created Wellness Program during the fund-a-need portion of the gala. Together they raised more than $111,000 to jump-start the program. Additional gifts are needed, and will help sustain and grow the Wellness Program, and give Chaminade the tools it needs to fulfill its promise to its students. Contributions can be given online; and any questions can be answered by the Advancement Office at (818) 360-0615.