As a senior at Knappa High School, I’ve seen a lot of change in the past four years, but one thing that hasn’t changed nearly enough is how we talk about mental health in our schools.

The truth is, a lot of us are struggling. We deal with anxiety, depression and burnout, not just from school, but also from juggling the other responsibilities we take on as we get older. While some teachers and staff try their best to help and support us, we simply don’t have the resources we need.

Mental health should be treated the same as physical health. If a student breaks an arm, they are given immediate attention. But if someone is down emotionally, we’re expected to push through, keep our grades up and act like everything is fine. It shouldn’t be this way.

We need more mental health support in our schools, more trained counselors, more education on coping skills and more open conversation to help remove the stigma. Talking about mental health should not be considered brave; it should be normal.

To the adults in our community: we aren’t asking for perfection. We just want to be heard, to be understood, and to feel supported.

BARBRA CALLIHAM
Astoria