How Our Students Are Tackling Stress and Supporting Each Other
Our students’ mental health and wellbeing are central to our school culture. These are not just staff-led initiatives. They are also supported and driven by the students themselves. A recent example was seen this week, when our Mental Health Ambassadors held a pop-up stall at lunchtime on Wednesday to share tips to help our students manage stress.
Students Supporting Students
Year 12 Wellbeing Captain Poppy and her team of Mental Health Ambassadors have taken the lead in creating a caring and supportive environment for their peers. “We work closely with the school psychologists to develop initiatives that raise awareness around important wellbeing topics like stress management, body image and mental health,” Poppy said.
In the lead-up to Years 11 and 12 exams, the team recognised that many students were feeling overwhelmed. They wanted to respond in a helpful and practical way. “We set up a stall at school to introduce ourselves as the Mental Health Ambassadors and to share practical tips and resources on managing stress,” Poppy said. Our goal was to offer helpful information that students could relate to and apply in their own lives.”
Sharing Practical Tools
The stall included resources such as infographic cards with calming strategies like box breathing, five-finger breathing and the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique, which encourages students to name five things they can see, Â touch, hear, smell, and taste, to regulate their nervous system. These tools are designed to help students manage stress and stay present in moments of anxiety. The team also shared tips on how to maintain a healthy balance between study and life outside the classroom.
“Our main goal was to empower students with tools they could use to manage anxiety and stress during the school day,” said Poppy.
A Leader Who Cares
Poppy’s passion for mental health comes from her own school experiences. “I have always been passionate about mental health and wellbeing. It is a topic that matters deeply to me,” she said. “I wanted to play an active role in promoting it within our school community, especially as a senior student who has experienced both the challenges and successes of high school life.”
She hopes to create an environment where every student feels supported. “I want to help spread the message that you are never alone, and that maintaining a balance between school and life is important. My goal is to encourage open and honest conversations about mental health and help build a school culture where every student feels seen, heard and valued.”
Creating a Culture of Care
This initiative is part of the broader work of our Mental Health Strategy, which focuses on building a strong and supportive culture, equipping students with skills, improving understanding, and ensuring that support is available. The pop-up stall showed how students can play a powerful role in this work.
“One of the hardest and most courageous things anyone can do is ask for help. That is why regular discussions about mental health are so important,” said Poppy. “They help reduce stigma and encourage conversations among friends, families and teachers.”
The Mental Health Ambassadors meet weekly and are now reviewing feedback from the College community. They are already planning future activities that respond to the needs of students.
“We are looking forward to continuing our work and supporting our peers throughout the year,” said Poppy.
To find out more about our whole-school approach to student wellbeing, you can view our Mental Health Strategy.
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Author: Santa Maria College
Santa Maria College is a vibrant girls school with a growing local presence and reputation. Our Mission is to educate young Mercy women who act with courage and compassion to enrich our world. Santa Maria College is located in Attadale in Western Australia, 16 km from the Perth CBD. We offer a Catholic education for girls in Years 5 – 12 and have 1300 students, including 152 boarders.
