CHS Wellness Center is a major resource for Colton students, community

The Wellness Center offers several resources to support the social-emotional well-being of the CHS community

Sadie Larios, Pepper Bough Editor|February 4, 2022

J. Dollins

The Wellness Center is a campus resource to learn valuable strategies promoting strong social-emotional health.

Coming back to campus after a full year of school online created difficulties and challenges at Colton High. New pressures and stresses have made many feel as though they lacked anyone for support.

The Wellness Center is changing that. It is the shoulder you need to lean on.

When students walk into the Wellness Center they are greeted by Center Director, Ms. Evelin Villa, to get the help and resources they need.

Ms. Evelin Villa leads students in a group activity in the Wellness Center. (J. Dollins)

The first resource students receive for help is a Wellness check-in conducted by either Ms.Villa, or a Wellness Center intern. The check-in helps the Wellness Center understand the issue at hand in order to help determine the right coping skills or techniques to manage emotions.

The Wellness Center can even offer additional help by referring students to therapy or support groups. These support groups discuss topics as varied as battling substance abuse to adjusting as an international student.

For those off-campus, the Wellness Center offers additional services, like providing access to resources for food, shelter, and educational services that vary depending on the student need.

The Wellness Center’s Grand Opening was in March 2019 along with the first CHS Wellness Fair. The center’s goal from the start has been to become a part of every student’s life here on campus to teach coping skills and strategies for dealing with a wide range of social-emotional at home or on campus.

Die to the pandemic, the Wellness Center shut its doors, but maintained an online presence as school went to a virtual model. Student involvement was minimal, but since reopening its doors this school year, the Center has helped over 600 students.

¨I always knew I wanted to help people,” Ms.Villa said. Because of this passion, she began to oversee and advise the Wellness Club as well.

The Wellness Club runs independently from the center. Its goal is to eliminate mental health stigma that pervades in the Colton community by involving students in games or activities that highlight coping strategies to be shared with others at campus or at home.

Senior Nate Ramirez, Wellness Club president, says, “I enjoy seeing people come out of their comfort zones.”  Like Ms.Villa, Ramirez wants to see students engage in the upcoming Wellness Fair.

The Wellness Fair will be held on campus March 11th at the new Cafetorium. During the fair, which will feature booths offering many resources, the Wellness Club intends to share strategies and target prejudices about receiving help.

Many students forget that their mental health is just as important as their academics. The Wellness Center is working to become a commonly used, comforting place for all students. Even if it’s for a simple mental health check-up.

Ms.Villa wants students to be reminded that the Wellness Center is “a place for them on campus” and that she wants to help “any and all students, because we can all use support.”