In high school teenagers are faced with many conflicts, such as assignments, relationships or on a journey to find themselves. Dealing with emotional conflicts can seriously affect some teens, that is why it is so important to have a place to vent or just talk.  Mental health issues involve a lot of different conditions, it could be depression, anxiety, borderline personality disorder just to name a few, but one condition that has been very common among individuals everywhere is depression.

Some people who suffer from depression or even individuals who are just going through a hard time might not feel like they have anybody to talk to. It is really important to try to help students who feel alone. Students may feel more open to talk if they have someone they trust. Jonathan Lopez’ 20  said “ I know there are trusted adults and social workers to talk to if I ever need them.” It is good to know that students are aware that there are trusted adults to talk to. Making sure students are aware there are social workers in the building is good, but knowing where they are located can be confusing. Lopez said he believed “The social workers are by the dean’s office.” This can be a common mistake because the counselors are by the dean’s office, but the social workers are located upstairs in W hall. A lot of students may not know where the W hall office is, and the easiest way to remember where the office is located is to walk down C hall away from M hall and students will be walking towards W hall. The office is where the hallways intersect.

Feeling the social workers are approachable can be a personal thing as well, some might feel different than others. Getting a student’s perspective is important but having a social workers input on the issue is too. Amanda Ollerer Social Worker said “ I always knew that school is a really good place to help students learn…I like that I can teach and work with smaller groups or with individuals so often.” Being able to talk with smaller groups or just one on one can create a better connection between the student and the adult. If a students feels they have a connection with a trusted adult then they may feel they have someone to go to if they are facing difficult situations or even if they are concerned about a friend. “I have a group, that’s smaller, and has maybe eight to ten students max, and I feel I’m able to help and provide them with skills to be successful in school and outside of school.”  For many teachers one goal in teaching is making sure they did all they could to help their students problem solve and develop their life skills.  Ollerer feels the same way about the students she works with. Ollerer likes that she can help people learn how to deal with certain situations as opposed to dealing with the situation in an unhealthy manner.

Why is having a good support system so important? It is very important to have a safe place because, in high school, teenagers are dealing with many conflicts that could involve relationships, self-acceptance and family issues. If students feel they have a place to go to when they are dealing with these issues, the result could be handled in a healthy manner. Knowing where the social workers are located is very important because then you know exactly where to go for assistance. Morton West shows they care about the students because they are taking measures to help anyone who needs assistance. The social workers are Amanda Ollerer, Katie Hynes, Leah Jackson and Kathleen Carnahan and they can be found on the second floor of W hall.