December has been a hectic month, and as such NAMI@Emma actually did not meet this month. That being said we've been working on a celebrity poster campaign that we will hang up in school next semester. I'm hoping that we can emphasize the fact that people living with a mental illness can live highly successful lives with these posters.
We also have confirmed that out Mental Wellness Month event will take place Friday evening on January 22nd. We've started recruiting teachers to lead mediation and yoga, and also plan on showing a movie, selling food to fundraise, having adult coloring book pages, and possibly leading a craft such as making a stress ball. I've also emailed Julie Clancy about having Mr. Rahim come to speak to school sometime next semester. In February we are planning to collaborate with the F Word club to lead activities during National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, in particular a body positivity workshop which would probably be a Friday night activity. This will be a great chance to explore the intersectionality between mental illness and women's issues. While this semester we've really been focused on educating ourselves as a club, next semester will be really devoted to community events like these, which will culminate in May with Mental Health Month. I can't wait!
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Since money makes the world go round, I figure it is probably due time to begin thinking about how NAMI@Emma will fundraise money in order to run events and possibly participate in the NAMI Walks. Futhermore, next semester, but more so next year, we'll be wanting to expand the club to other local high schools. My basic plan for this was to create a "club in a box", which would entail making a tool kit consisting of handouts, power points, posters, and a guide for lessons plans for the club and suggested activities. I also think it would be really helpful and productive to run a day long seminar going through these materials with all of the new club heads in the area, and allowing them to ask questions and share ideas.
I've been looking at some grants that might be useful to host an event like this. Here are a few of the grants I'm looking into: http://www.generationon.org/teens/awards/hasbro-community-action-hero-award http://www.ysa.org/disney_friends_for_change_us_grants http://worldchangersthink.org/portfolio/2016-world-changers-grant-competition/ I would use these grants to pay for the club starter kit materials, and also to rent a space and get food if we were to have an introduction seminar for club heads. Before even doing this, I need to continue reaching out to local school psychologists because they will be vital in getting the club started in other schools. |
Mental illness is nothing to be ashamed of, but stigma and bias shame us all. -Bill Clinton
Katherine WallaceEmma Willard Class of 2017. Archives
May 2017
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