Wellness race to benefit mental health programs

Canton High School senior Leah Factor understands that many school-age children today face what she calls “mental health battles,” and that most continue to struggle finding avenues of support.

“It is so imperative for people to know that it’s okay to have iffy times and to struggle,” said Factor. “We all go through it.”

Factor is one of two members of the senior class spearheading the first “Champions of Wellness” road race. This 5K will be held on Sunday, November 19, and will begin and end at Canton High School and is open to all.

“We are looking to make an impact in our community,” said senior Kaitlin Bigham. “We were looking for something new and something big, and we wanted to include an aspect of physical wellness since that affects our mental health.”

The students are both involved with a club at the high school known as SWAG, which stands for Student Wellness Advisory Group. For the road race, they have partnered with a North Attleboro nonprofit called KyleCares – The Kyle Johnson Foundation, which is dedicated to promoting open and honest communication about mental health experiences faced by teens and young adults.

“The entire KyleCares organization is dedicated to how they can best help schools educate students on mental health,” said Adam Hughes, Canton Public Schools’ Prek-12 wellness coordinator. “They are helping us generate a lot of mental health programs at the high school and are helping us with signage and other things as we get organized before the race.”

Money raised will be used to bring in speakers and provide resources dedicated to supporting teens’ mental health. The students are also considering offering a scholarship to a senior who is committed to promoting physical and mental health, or those who have overcome mental health challenges. According to the World Health Organization, more than 4 million U.S. children ages 12-17 suffered at least one major depressive episode in 2022.

Nick Fitzgerald is one of two assistant principals at Canton High School.

“I’m so proud of these two young women,” said Fitzgerald. “They are in the midst of the biggest months of their young lives. They’re thinking about colleges, taking AP classes, and participating in sports. This is a huge undertaking, and they are so mature and professional.”

The cost to participate in the race is $25, which includes a t-shirt. A children’s fun run is also planned. Middle and high school students can run for free. Information on how to sign up can be found at kylecaresinc.org.

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Posted by Canton Citizen on Oct 5 2023. Filed under Uncategorized. Both comments and pings are currently closed.