Mental Health Education by Aviyana

Mental Health Education by Aviyana - June 2025 Scholarship Essay

An elective course that should be a required class is mental health education, especially starting in middle and high school. As the world has progressed in other forms, students gain more struggles day-to-day, from academics, social media, sports, family, and personal obstacles. However, with these growing issues, not everyone knows the proper methods of dealing with them. Now, making this a required course in school will help normalize the conversation of mental health and the struggles that come with it and rid the stigma of asking for help and mental health being a bad thing. Students are often faced with tough decisions that adults look over from time to time. They are working to form their personalities outside of their family while at the same time trying to be accepted by their peers.
Additionally, they are also trying to fit in their academics with their extracurriculars, whether that be a club or sports, and even then, some teenagers are faced with outside complications like physical or mental disabilities, which further makes it harder to "fit in." However, with a mental health class, students will be supported in knowing they are not struggling alone and that there are ways to combat their troubles or at least alleviate some of that pressure. Not only are they equipped with the tools to help them battle the everyday problems they are faced with, but they will also feel their peers' support. When the students feel more emotionally balanced and not worried about the extra aspects of life, they can be more engaged in school and their relationships with life and other people. In the end, a mental health course promotes empathy as a community and a larger awareness of mental health and encourages an open dialogue about mental health. So, starting early, we can have our students truly connect with each other, look out for each other, and form a more supportive environment in our world. Therefore, by teaching these skills early, we can lead a lifelong improvement in emotional intelligence and communication.