GONZALEZ — Gonzales Unified School District (GUSD) held a Mental Health and Wellness Fair at Gonzales High School on Saturday to promote mental health awareness and well-being in the community.
The fair featured exhibits, informative workshops, and activities aimed at educating and empowering attendees about various aspects of mental health.
“The Mental Health and Wellness Fair was a great showcase of the resources provided by our community partners, staff expertise and student leadership,” said GUSD Assistant Superintendent Pam Gildersleeve Hernandez. “The event’s opening and closing ceremonies were led by Gonzales High School students who are part of the Gonzales Youth Council. The students’ leadership and presentation skills are a testament to the impact of our community’s investment in our students. Masu.”
The March 23 event will begin at 10 a.m. at the Roger Fernando Gym and will be attended by Gonzalez Youth Council (GYC) members Aliya Castillo, Maya Flores, and Alejandra Pinon, along with students from Gonzalez College He gave a presentation about the mental health research project he has been working on. school district.
Castillo is in his fourth year as a GYC member, Pinon is in his third year, and Flores is in his first year.
The Gonzalez Youth Council decided in 2019 that mental health was an important focus, but when Covid-19 hit in March 2020, the project consisted of Zoom meetings. In April 2020, the group created a survey, received feedback from adult allies, and a partnership with California State University, Monterey Bay was formed. The final survey was distributed to students at Fairview Middle School and Gonzalez High School.
The study ended in May 2022 and data analysis began. Castillo, Flores and Pinon submitted the results of their mental health evaluations on Saturday.
Through GYC’s efforts, we were able to send mental health counselors to high schools. I also attended conferences to discuss not only mental health, but also pedestrian safety projects and many other improvement projects in the Gonzales community. Local community/community.
After GYC’s presentation, students and parents attended two presentation sessions held in Gonzalez High School classrooms, the school library, and the science lecture room.
Featured panelists and speakers included representatives from Epicenter, Silver Star Resource Center, Bright Life Kids, Ohana Behavioral Health, Sun Street Center, and Montage Health Prescription Safe. Topics include “Coping with Stress,” “The Impact of Trauma,” “Successfully Overcoming Stigma,” “Understanding Children’s Mental Health,” and “Family Education.”
Additionally, Martha Grimes provided two Zumba sessions and Vivian Leyva conducted a yoga session. The event concluded with lunch and a self-care workshop presented by the Gonzalez Youth Council.
