Mental health is a hot topic around the nation; a topic many school counselors have been trying to tackle. On Wednesday, Feb. 23 the counselor department held a Wellness Expo for students to attend during lunches.

Students walking into the gym were met with tables set up along the walls with items that would help calm them. There were plenty of stations for students to explore. Some of these stations had supplies to color, assemble stress balls and make aromatherapy bracelets. Other stations included yoga practices, help with ‘adulting’ and relaxing under cold compresses like a spa.

“My favorite part was making the stress balls,” said senior Zoë Livingston. “It reminded me of the toys I used to make when I was a kid.”

Counselor Erica Woodall says it took a few months of planning to get all the details and scheduling done. Just about 400 students attended and she states she was very pleased with how engaged and interactive all the students were.

“I thought it went really really well,” she said. “We invited a lot of people in the community that we have relationships with. We’re really lucky because our community really likes to take care of us.”

The most popular stations among students were the dogs and the stress balls using rice or flour. When Junior Diana Ton was asked if she liked the expo she replied that she was really enjoying it. She light heartedly mentioned that while making her stress ball she had accidentally spilled some of it.

“I pushed the flour back up because I had squished the bottom,” she laughed.

Many students enjoyed attending this event and many say they would attend again. Eden Viles was among the many students who attended and experienced the calming effects.

“I’m very relaxed and at peace,” Viles said. “The dogs were really calming and I could feel my body relaxing when I was petting them.”

As the school year comes closer to the end students have revealed that their stress increases. After final exams and submitted final grades everything is set and stone for that academic year. Students say they appreciated this Wellness Expo and would absolutely want and attend more.

 “I start getting more stressed by the end of the year,” Livingston said. “This was a very stress relieving activity.”