LT counselor Kate Migely often deals with students struggling with pressure and stress. As a counselor, she instinctively wants to help those in need of social and emotional support. So, when Migely along with LT social worker Jennifer Fanta were tasked with creating a campaign that helps students dealing will stress, she was all for it. Migely brainstormed ideas on how to reduce stress in teenagers and created a campaign that would allow for a better environment for all students.

“It is nice for teenagers to learn to work together in order to create a more positive environment,” Migely said.

The InspirED initiative is a campaign designed to help students cope with stress at LT. Students directly participating in the program will come up with techniques and tools for stress management. Stress management skills will hopefully trickle down to students that are not directly involved in the campaign, Migely said. Partnered with PSI (the Peaceable Schools Initiative), the InspirED campaign took effect after a Yale University study was released revealing that most college students surveyed said that they had a negative high school experience.

“We will talk about ways to increase positive ways that students feel about themselves at school. It’s to increase awareness of how we feel about ourselves and how to improve that,” Migely said.

The campaign was brought to the attention of LT principal Brian Waterman who is in support of the initiative.

“All high schools have a need for a program such as this because the concepts behind InspirED are grounded in research (Yale University) and it is important that we continue to be creative in the programs and supports that are offered to our students,” Waterman said.

The program will team up with the PSI group at LT, Migely said. Meetings will be held once a month (alternating locations between campuses) in which students can offer ideas on how to create a positive atmosphere at school. In a recent meeting, students participated in an activity called the “Power Pose” in which students stand in a pose displaying confident body language. The pose is meant to increase self confidence through posing in an empowering position.

Many students, like Aaron Ontreveros ’18 who participate in the program, find it to be a necessity for schools like LT.

“I think [the campaign] has a great objective because sometimes I don’t feel comfortable in class,” Ontreveros said. “Some kids are [shy], so if the things we do help them out, then it’s going to allow them to be more comfortable and they won’t be so timid so their performance will be better in the classroom.”

There are various other reasons that the InspirED campaign could be beneficial at LT. Students at school lead complex lives in which stress is a major factor, Waterman said.

21 “Students at LTHS, and all surrounding high schools, are consistently attempting to balance the demands of family, academics, athletics, extra-curriculars and work,” Waterman said. “Any tools that we can provide them to assist will be beneficial in helping them overcome and work through the challenges.”

The InspirED campaign plans to improve student’s self image as well as reduce stress and create a more positive school environment.

“We are going to increase awareness of how we feel about ourselves and how to improve that,” Migely said.