Juniors Morgan Reed and Finn Jennings pose for a photo holding slime at the first annual Stress Fest organized by S.A.D.D.
De-Stress With The Student Body
On Thursday, March 16th, students gathered together in the cafeteria for an event put together by the SADD club, and other school clubs, to help the students relieve their stress and hang with their friends.
From therapy dogs, to a gong room, there were various, enticing activities for everyone to enjoy. The SADD club provided drawstring bags, a free Kona Ice ticket for the Kona Ice truck, a raffle ticket for the gift card raffle, and pamphlets regarding mental health, vaping and smoking, and information on the Stress Fest event.
One of the most intriguing activities at the fest was the gong room. The seminar room was filled with gongs, windchimes, sound machines, reclining chairs, and more. The lights were off to create a calmer atmosphere, and kids were instructed to sit back, relax, and let the sounds take over.
I love the gong room, it put me into a deep trance where I felt like I was floating…it made me really calm when I got up; it made me feel happier than I was before — sophomore Kayla Bolling
Adding onto the happiness, there were two therapy dogs in the lobby. One golden retriever named Toby, who is registered with Pet Partners as a therapy dog, and with his trainer is David Wright. The other therapy dog is named Hugo, a huge, cuddly Newfoundland. These dogs brought people joy to pet and cuddle with them.
In the cafeteria, there were different stations set up by various student-run clubs. Cooking club, French club, and Italian club all had stations where you could create your own treats, like a parfait or cookies. Over on the other side of the cafe, was coloring, ornament making, and decorating.
Kids enjoyed these activities, as coloring is an easy and fun way to relieve stress. There was a slime making table for sensory, and an improv group in the middle of the cafeteria. Students were encouraged to join in and learn improv with the instructors. You could hear laughter, clapping, and sometimes even singing coming from the cafe.
“I enjoyed the improv lesson because I was able to develop the ability to generate new ideas and develop thinking skills,” said sophomore Klaudia Panek
Students thought this event was well needed, and there should be more of them in the future. It was a successful event to help students relieve anxiety, and just hang out with friends to have a good time.
Sophomore Emma Cherubini pets Hugo, a Newfoundland from Pet Partners.
Freshman Samiksha Maheshwaran and sophomore Hiteshree Dirisala sit back and relax and enjoy some Kona Ice.
The S.A.D.D. Club provided Kona Ice for all attendees at Stress Fest.
Juniors Morgan Reed and Finn Jennings pose for a photo holding slime at the first annual Stress Fest organized by S.A.D.D.
Bella McKenna • Mar 17, 2023 at 3:35 pm
I loved Stress Fest (I miss the Kona Ice already)