ROCHESTER, IL-- RIS students participating in the Girl Scouts of America Troop 6971 are addressing what they perceive as a widespread issue affecting every student: anxiety.
Avery C., Londyn D., and Greer S. initiated the project to earn their Bronze Award but soon realized they wanted to undertake a more substantial endeavor.
"We aimed to create something that would leave a positive and lasting impact on our community and fellow students," said Avery while presenting their work at the January school board meeting.
According to a 2019 Pew Research Center report, seven in ten teens view anxiety and depression as significant problems among their peers. In 2016, almost two-thirds of college students reported "overwhelming anxiety," up from 50 percent just five years earlier.
A collaborative study by the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of California and the Berkeley School of Education found that the pandemic continues to play a significant role in the mental health of our students.
Due to the growing concern among youth, RIS 5th graders sought to help students acquire the tools they need to combat anxiety at an early age. This way, they can better handle the stresses that life brings.
Working alongside RIS school counselor Andrea Ihnen, the students created the booklet called “Hey! Yay! Be OK!”. The book aims to help students recognize what anxiety is as well as analyze the difference between normal anxiety and overwhelming anxiety and when a student may need to seek professional help.
“We want to educate people about anxiety and ways to calm and cope with it,” the RIS students said.
Key to helping other students cope with anxiety are several relaxation techniques.
Strategies include utilizing the 5 basic senses, using art and music, exercise, physical tools, baking, meditation, and breathing exercises.
“Everyone has anxiety and it’s OK. It can be big or small, but don’t ignore it. Mental
health is important and so is self-love.”
The resource is a free download available by scanning this QR code.
