Relax, Unwind, Hit the Pause Button

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and Brewster High School students and staff hit the pause button on the usual school day for a Mental Health and Wellness Fair–an afternoon all about students’ health, happiness, and well-being. Students picked four sessions from a lineup of creative activities designed to help relax, recharge, and have some fun and engage in meaningful ways outside the traditional classroom setting.

It was a hive of activity across the school in almost every classroom. Staff members wore Brewster green shirts that read: Bear the Strength, Share the Journey.

Activities included: Planetarium, Reading Nook, Coloring Your Way To Calm; Walk Your Worries Away nature walk; Cups of Comfort coffee talk; Bingo: perfect for lighthearted competition and laughs; Lawn Games like cornhole and frisbee; Wiffle Ball and Kickball; Board Games & Puzzles; Yoga & Meditation; Karaoke for letting loose and signing your heart out; Bucket Drumming to release stress, Button Making, Movie, Knitting Circle, Intro to SIgn Language, Bracelet Making; Lego STEM challenges; Spa Session; Journaling with time to reflect, process emotions and express yourself creatively; Paint & Plant; Murph Workout and of course Therapy Dogs to help de-stress, boost your mood, and enjoy unconditional love and companionship. 

Downstairs next to the cafeteria were community organizations dedicated to mental health: Cove Care Center, The Prevention Council of Putnam, The Putnam Coalition, The Harris Project, Putnam County Youth Bureau, Putnam/Northern Westchester Women’s Resource Center, Green Chimneys, LifeStance Health, National Alliance on Mental Illness Putnam,Mental Health Association Putnam County.

“Coordinating an event for over 1,000 students is no small task and the BHS team truly rose to the occasion. It was a remarkable day that highlighted the strength of our school community and the importance of mental wellness,” said School Social Worker Eliza Love.

Thank you to Eliza Love, Laura Preiser and Andrea Perdicho for organizing the day and to the BHS Administration for making it all happen.

It was a wonderful chance to take a breather, try something new, and spend time focusing on what matters most: mental health.