Counseling Update/Message from the Nurse: March 2024

3/26/2024

Counseling Updates & Information

Aevidum Mental Health Club:

Our Aevidum Mental Health Club hosted Kindness Week from March 11th to March 14th to encourage, promote, and embed extra kindness throughout our community. It was our hope that the week’s programming would strengthen the already-existing protective factors for mental health conditions that exist within our community, such as compassion and connection.

For three days before Kindness Week, we had a different student wear a banana costume during the school day. During Monday’s assembly, we revealed the banana’s hidden meaning: that depression and mental health conditions don’t stick out the way a student wearing a banana costume does. We emphasized the importance of treating everyone with kindness since we never know what people are truly going through. The assembly also included a game show to dispel misconceptions about mental health as well as Archmere’s first Hidden Talent - Talent Show to showcase the unique gifts that exist within our community. Special thanks to Oskar Ploszaj ‘27, Mr. Quinn, Mrs. Goldstein, Mr. Dougherty, Megan Shaposky ‘26, Mr. Bradley, Mr. Mengers, Mr. Duffie, Shripraba Narayanan ‘25, and Ms. Young for their brave participation.

For several weeks prior to Kindness Week, our club members worked hard to write an individual, personalized compliment to every student in our school. These kindness cards, along with a lollipop, were delivered to Work Periods on Tuesday. On Wednesday and Thursday, our club held a bake sale and raised over $200 to donate to local mental health and suicide prevention organizations. The week concluded with our club members doing a series of random acts of kindness throughout the school day and encouraging recipients to pay the kindness forward.

Special thanks to student leaders Abby Im ‘25, Emily Mayo ‘25, Claire McGonigle ‘25, Gwyneth Ratsep ‘25, and Hannah Stewart ‘25 for their dedication and effort in making Kindness Week a success at Archmere, as well as Anna Benner ‘24, James Lyons ‘25, Emily Mayo ‘25, Colin Mosley ‘26, Ava Soscia ‘24, and Ms. Witte and her dog Aurelius for courageously wearing banana costumes in front of the entire school.

DEI:

Black History Assembly

The DEI club held its first student assembly. The Assembly followed the National 2024 Theme for Black History Month. According to The Association For the Study of African American Life and History, the Theme for 2024 was “AFRICAN AMERICANS AND THE ARTS.”

The DEI Club leaders entitled this Assembly “Black Excellence.” This assembly was entirely led by students and Alumni. During the assembly, students were able to pay tribute the past by hearing from alumni, Mr. Irv Brockington ’74, and honoring the future of excellence at Archmere by featuring the newly formed student club, The Archmere Academy Dance Team.

Sending a special appreciation to all the students and faculty that participated and worked hard to make this assembly a success. Justin Townsend ’27, Faith Jah ’27, Nyla Nkemta ’27, Cassius Hearne ’26, Janiyah Brashir ’26, Kellyn Williams ’26, Zoe Thornton ’26, Gabrielle Dove ’24, Ms. Tucker '16, Mr. Carty ‘09, Mr. Mengers ‘10, and Mrs. Witte.

View assembly pictures here.

April Fundraiser

Each year, a lack of access to costly menstrual products puts a heavy burden on the shoulders of millions of people worldwide. As the poverty gap increases in countries such as the United States, so does the struggle to acquire feminine products. Thus, Archmere Academy's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Club is excited to announce a fundraiser for period products across Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey-area schools in April. There will be sales, a goFundMe, an Instagram fundraiser, and period product drives, held over the course of the next month. Products and collected funds will be donated to local chapters of the YWCA (The Young Women's Christian Association). Stay tuned for further updates!

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