On Tuesday, the Santa Maria Joint Union High School District celebrated the ribbon cutting of its newest wellness center at Delta High School, just as dozens of students completed Teen Mental Health First Aid training to become peer supporters on their campuses.
Senior Sherlyn Mendoza said accessibility was one of the biggest takeaways from the training that took place on Friday.
“One thing that stuck with me in the training would be the fact that, you know, there’s resources for everyone. And that’s really important for me because you never know who might need them,” Mendoza said.
For Lizette Rojas, the training reinforced the idea that students often feel more comfortable opening up to peers than to adults.
“I think it’s important because a lot of people deal with their problems a lot of different ways, and sometimes they really can’t talk to teachers about it,” Rojas said. She added that her role as a wellness peer will focus on listening first: “I talk to them. I let them tell me what’s going on, and I’d give my input a little bit, but mainly let them talk.”
The training is part of Phase 2 of the district’s larger Mental Health Initiative, which launched 2 years ago. Jose Pereyra, director of wellness services, said it grew out of conversations with students and the community about the need for more support on campus.
“It began two years ago, there was a need for expanded mental health services on campuses,” Pereyra said. He noted the district has invested more than $1 million into the initiative, funding school counselors, certified wellness coaches and wellness centers.
Aaron Meloncon, a school counselor, emphasized why peer-to-peer communication matters.
“I think that when you relate to somebody more, you kind of take what they say and weigh it a little more heavily,” Meloncon said. He added that students not only learn to support their classmates but also gain insight into their own challenges along the way.
Rojas said the most important reminder she carried away was simple: “To know that it’s okay to not be okay, and it’s okay to reach out and ask for help. There’s nothing wrong with it.”
District leaders say students have already accessed wellness services more than 26,000 times since the initiative began 2 years ago, and with Delta High’s new center now open, they expect that number to keep growing.
