Middle School Promotes Resilience

Middle School students at University School of Milwaukee hosted a resilience week from April 7 through 11. Organized by the Middle School REDgen student chapter, the week included a series of events and activities open to the entire Middle School to promote conversations around resilience.

Events included bracelet making, outdoor walks, board games, a dance break, and a special guest speaker, Natalie Nelson-Markham, on Friday, April 11. Nelson-Markham shared her personal journey of resilience after becoming paralyzed in a snowboarding accident. In addition, students were given discussion prompts during their advising meetings, such as what it means to be resilient, how humor helps resiliency, and who or what helps one overcome adversity. 

Promoting conversations around resilience, and sharing resources for mental health awareness, support USM’s guiding principle of community and the school’s efforts to provide a physically and emotionally safe environment for students, faculty, and staff. 

Many thanks to Middle School REDgen student leaders Shant Gupta ’30, Ellie Ihrke ’30, Sonja Klos ’29, Sophie Kouklin ’29, Mae Lilly ’29, Solana Miner ’30, Tess Oplinger ’30, Aisha Shittu ’29, and Sam Yuan ’29 for their work to make these events happen. In addition, thank you to faculty advisors Sandi Deshur, Middle School Academic Resource Center teacher, and Elina Kats, Middle School counselor, for their support. 

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 seven 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.