Celebrating Mental Health Awareness

May was Mental Health Awareness month, and University School of Milwaukee students and faculty highlighted it by hosting several fun events throughout this past week. Members of the Upper School REDgen student chapter folded and hid hundreds of paper doves throughout the school to lift spirits, build community, and promote mental health awareness. Students were invited to find as many doves as possible and turn them in in exchange for a raffle ticket and a chance to win small prizes, and obtain more information about Mental Health Awareness month. The grade level that found the most doves won an out-of-uniform day.

USM’s Middle School also held a variety of events to promote positive mental health during resilience week, including writing uplifting messages in chalk in the front circle, creating sand bottle art, participating in fun relay races, playing boardgames in the front circle, and taking a walk outside with Xander, USM’s certified therapy dog.

Many thanks to Upper School and Middle School REDgen student leaders and their faculty advisors, Lizzy Perry (Upper School), Joe Eason (Upper School), Sandi Deshur (Middle School), and Elina Kats (Middle School), for their work to make these events happen.

About REDgen
REDgen is a Milwaukee organization that promotes and advocates for youth mental health and well-being, and USM is one of its partners. For the past five years, USM has partnered with REDgen to host speaker series events throughout the school year, in which nationally and internationally renowned experts speak on a variety of topics, including child care, resilience, parenting, and more. Speaker series events are free and open to the public.