Be The Influence and Maine Behavioral Healthcare have teamed up for a unique event to raise awareness that May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Called “Jammin’ for Mental Health Through the Arts,” activities at Windham High School this week are intended to show value to youth and families surrounded by anxiety, depression and substance misuse and include an art show, resource booths, food, a movie and panel discussion, and giveaways in the school gymnasium.
 |
| All community members are welcome to enjoy a variety of art pieces created by students along with activities from Be The Influence from 5:30 to 8 p.m. through May 5 at Windham High School. SUBMITTED PHOTO |
Be The Influence Executive Director Laura Morris has helped plan this event for the community.
“The best parts were the months of meeting, adjusting what we imagined, and enjoying the process of pulling it together with the best partners,” said Morris.
She said that after the COVID-19 pandemic, BTI noticed a huge increase for youth and families in anxiety, depression and substance misuse and decided to partner with Maine Behavioral Healthcare to attract community members and offer solutions.
This is the first "Jammin' for Mental Health Through the Arts" event, but BTI has been doing an “Arts in Prevention” series for years where they use art, music, hip hop, theater, and other activities to help youth express and cope.
“We met with the Windham High School art department to tie our BTI event into the annual art show that people already attend and partnered with Maine Behavioral Healthcare to create an event that would allow for a fun, interactive night out, as well as including the screening of the movie “Angst” on anxiety and depression, followed by a panel discussion of experts so that we can all work together on how to overcome mental health issues in our district as well as a resource fair with vendor booths, interactive activities, hip hop, refreshments and many giveaways,” Morris said.
Along with the annual art show exhibit from students in grades Kindergarten to 12, Windham Middle School will display an art piece of the DeLorean car from “Back to the Future” and Maine Behavioral Health will present a slide show of last year’s art show. The Yellow Tulip Project will showcase photographs of hope and BTI will display a puzzle project.
“Mainly, it is meant to be hands-on for attendees with a large community art project where attendees can create their own art square that becomes part of a huge mural and over 20 resource booths with crafts and activities at each one,” said Morris.
This event is intended to be fun for all members of the community, and Morris said BTI is looking forward to the opportunity to bring hope and resources to our community in a way that enriches the soul and provides a fun night out, which we could all use.
“The information provided by the movie, discussion and many professional resources should help people know that hope is possible through expressing yourself through the arts; you are not alone, and help is everywhere, if you reach out for it,” said Morris.
Julie Clark became an art teacher at the Manchester and Windham Primary School this year but has been in the teaching profession for 25 years. Though this is her first combined RSU 14 art show for students here, it is also the first combined art show for RSU 14 schools since the pandemic hit.
Clark said she loves seeing the students happy and proud with what they have created.
“People are very glad to get back to it, and several said that it is their favorite time of year,” said Clark.
The event continues at Windham High School through Friday, May 5 and all members of the community are welcome to participate. <
No comments:
Post a Comment