RBC photos courtesy Isabella DiPiero | RFH photos courtesy Jon Carras
Oct. 7 – 11 was the 2019 Week of Respect for New Jersey schools.
Red Bank Catholic chose to respect mental health with its R U OK? campaign and a week of activities and presentations designed to stop the stigma of depression and anxiety. On Monday Brian Barr, co-founder of Feeling Swell, presented a talk on depression, anxiety and resilience to freshmen and sophomores and Tuesday Sophia Mazzini co-founder of Into the Light, a suicide awareness organization, shared her family’s story and their mission to start the conversation about suicide; the RBC choir concluded the presentations by singing “You Will Be Found” from the musical “Dear Evan Hansen.” Wednesday the entire school attended Mass to pray for those struggling with mental illnesses and for those already lost to the disease.
Thursday, the school hosted a bake sale with profits going to Into the Light, Feeling Swell and Mental Health Association of Monmouth County. Friday was a day of thanks and gratitude for all who supported the R U Ok? campaign.
“It was an awesome week and I truly believe we made a difference in our perception of mental health challenges,” said Kathleen Booth, student assistance counselor at Red Bank Catholic.
Five Rumson and Fair Haven schools honored the Week of Respect with Kindness Week.
Speaker Brian Williams talked to students about how kindness takes bravery. He challenged the schools to document 5,000 acts of kindness in the next 15 days. More than 100 businesses also embraced R+FH Kindness Week by hanging signs, posters and banners in their store windows.
