Please briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences that was particularly meaningful to you. (About 150 words)
The statistic is alarming. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, "one in four adults experience a mental illness in a given year." Perturbed about this new-found realization, Seneca AP Psych students devised a plan. We went to our teacher, Mr. Kennevan, and we proposed the formation of a new extracurricular--Psychology Club. Our objective: emphasize the importance of happiness and properly dealing with mental illness. We believe stigma of mental illness has become a crucial barrier to treating and understanding it. So we formulated a plan to gain support to eliminate the stigma.
We decided upon a Glow Run with a theme of "Shine a Light in the Dark" to raise awareness and money, and to spread awareness and provide resources to help those affected by mental illness. We marked out an approximate 5k around our school which ended in a tunnel of lights at the finish line. Within our stadium, we revamped classic games such as KanJam, corn-hole, and ring toss.This kind of activity is a perfect example of the efforts that can be made to reduce the stigma. The Seneca Family successfully raised $1,500 to donate to a local chapter of NAMI, the largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness. As newly elected vice-president, I can say we have big plans for this year and I could not be more proud how far this club has come.
The statistic is alarming. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, "one in four adults experience a mental illness in a given year." Perturbed about this new-found realization, Seneca AP Psych students devised a plan. We went to our teacher, Mr. Kennevan, and we proposed the formation of a new extracurricular--Psychology Club. Our objective: emphasize the importance of happiness and properly dealing with mental illness. We believe stigma of mental illness has become a crucial barrier to treating and understanding it. So we formulated a plan to gain support to eliminate the stigma.
We decided upon a Glow Run with a theme of "Shine a Light in the Dark" to raise awareness and money, and to spread awareness and provide resources to help those affected by mental illness. We marked out an approximate 5k around our school which ended in a tunnel of lights at the finish line. Within our stadium, we revamped classic games such as KanJam, corn-hole, and ring toss.This kind of activity is a perfect example of the efforts that can be made to reduce the stigma. The Seneca Family successfully raised $1,500 to donate to a local chapter of NAMI, the largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness. As newly elected vice-president, I can say we have big plans for this year and I could not be more proud how far this club has come.
