This year, PMHS welcomes a new club focused on adolescent mental health. The Mental Health Awareness Club was founded by sophomore Lucy Edmunds, and is advised by newly-minted school social worker, Ms. Quintano. It meets on alternate Wednesdays in room 214. They plan to address issues plaguing many high school students, such as anxiety and depression.

“I think the importance of the club is that it can help others understand what their peers are going through,” Ms. Quintano said.

The club is becoming increasingly necessary, as mental health issues are on the rise for teenagers in the U.S. According to a 2015 study organized by the Department of Health and Human Services, around three million teenagers have had one or more depressive episodes in the last year. About 20 percent of boys and 30 percent of girls have been affected by an anxiety disorder, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. It is important to recognize that these struggles are becoming more prevalent. The aim of the club is to let students know they are not alone, and that there is no stigma to having these feelings.

“I’ve had struggles of my own in the past, and I wanted to make a club that can inform students about the commonality of stress and depression. We’re planning events that can help our community become more informed on mental issues that adolescents face,” said Edmunds.