The Student Mental Health Initiative (SMHI) is an organization started by Upper School students that aims to raise awareness around mental health and introduce new resources to Beaver. The founders of SMHI envisioned their group as something completely different than a club or student council board; instead, SMHI exists as a flexible coalition of students–each with their own role and responsibilities–that work to better the day-to-day lives of student on campus.

SMHI works to acknowledge mental health and have resources easily accessible. We want a create a school culture that is open to discussing topics related to mental health without judgement.

-Kyla Sheedy-Goff ’24, Caroline Ewald ’24

Working with Beaver’s Counseling Department, members of SMHI plan and host various wellness projects and events. These include Waffle and Wellness Wednesdays, presenting at Upper School meetings, connecting with Middle School faculty, bringing in speakers, and more. The initiative is committed to examining every corner of the student experience at Beaver to find ways that mental health can be prioritized and acknowledged.

There is no better example of SMHI’s hard work than an upcoming evening workshop for parents/caregivers planned by the group. On January 24, SMHI will be bringing in Dr. Daniel Crump, therapist and founder of the BE Center, to speak to parents/caregivers. Dr. Crump will touch on new ways parents can connect with their children, techniques for navigating challenging situations, and the role of validation in parenting.

I hope the workshop helps parents learn more about how to approach the mental health of their kids. . . A lot of parents want to help their kids, and this event will give them the tools and resources to do so.

-Kyla Sheedy-Goff ’24, Co-President of SMHI

When asked about the process of planning the workshop, SMHI leaders Kyla Sheedy-Goff ’24 and Caroline Ewald ’24 both mentioned the hard work that made the event a reality. “I found Dr. Crump and invited him to come in,” Caroline says, highlighting her role as SMHI’s Resource Coordinator. Other members have been busy planning logistics, meeting with different departments, and marketing the workshop to the parent community. “It’s cool to see how an event comes together,” Kyla mentions. “Now that it’s coming up, you can see all of our hard work paying off.”

The Student Mental Health Initiative’s workshop for parents/caregivers will take place on Wednesday, January 24 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. You can RSVP for the event here.