Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools: Hopewell High's Zen Den Offers Respite During Stress

Davidson NC

28 April, 2022

5:33 PM

Description

Press release from Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools: 4/28/2022 Abby Ritter, Tracey Pickard and Meredith Luber sit in the zen den. Hopewell High School has invested in mental health by creating a "zen den" which is a converted copier room functioning as a space where students can relax, engage in calming activities and regroup during the school day. The idea came from Hopewell Principal Tracey Pickard. "Back in November, we began to experience a lot of unrest on campus, emotions were high, so we are trying to as a community – teachers, students, staff – parents collaborate on ways that we could really begin to shift some of the energy in a more positive way," Pickard said. She cited the pandemic as one source of the unrest. "One day in particular, a student came to me and was under stress. She expressed his need in a space where she could sometimes just talk. She actually asked if I could give her permission to come to my office on days that she just needed to regroup. And that's how our conversation started." With an idea for some type of space dedicated to student mental health, Pickard reached out to some trusted partners including designer Christy Sharafinski as well as volunteers Abby Ritter and Meredith Luber. Charlotte-based Metro Graphics loved the idea so much, they helped sponsor the project. With that funding and the help of two dozen students and volunteers, the zen den was born. The zen den has rules to maintain the purpose of the room.. "You have to unplug. No phones, no laptops, no Chromebooks, even if teachers come in, no Chromebooks and laptops," explained Pickard. Once inside the temporary oasis, students are able to focus on a variety of intentional calming and grounding exercises that range from tactile activities to mindfulness. "We love being in there with the kids. It's just such a special place, and the kids are incredible," said Ritter. Ritter and Luber volunteer their time to support the kids and help walk them through the zen den exercises. "Some of our students are very active, so they need an active yoga practice. Other kids come in and just need to relax, so it's kind of a multipurpose space to try to give them a safe place to explore all those things," said Luber. Among the activities available: coloring books, bracelet making using affirmation words and breathing exercise they can incorporate into their daily lives when stressors affect them. "It's wonderful for these kids to have such a safe space to come to. Being a high schooler is hard," said Ritter. There are also daily yoga sessions before classes begin to help students start the day on a positive note. "It's hugely important to support their mental health, especially after this really unprecedented time," agreed Luber. "It's so challenging with the pandemic and going from a remote learning and being very isolated," she said. The zen den doesn't feel like being inside of a high school, offering students a chance to step out of their normal day and into a sanctuary, even if it's just for a few minutes. Pickard says the difference the zen den has made is immeasurable in helping students reset, take a breath and move toward the rest of their day with their best foot forward. "It's been really powerful to watch," said Pickard. See video of the zen den on the Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools YouTube page. This press release was produced by Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. The views expressed here are the author's own.