BY ETHAN RUBIN ’28
As a new school year has arrived, another successful Back to School Night has come and gone. Along with the excitement of the parents seeing where their kids go to school and meeting their new teachers, Back to School Night also allowed parents to feel what it was like to be back in high school. The Jericho Mindfulness Ambassador Council, also known as JMAC, is Jericho’s own mental health-centered club. According to school psychologist and JMAC advisor Dr. Danielle Smith, JMAC is deeply committed to spreading mental health awareness year-round. Dr. Smith said, “We discuss mental health related topics throughout the whole year in our school.” JMAC started the year at Back to School Night promoting mental health awareness for families. Running an annual Back to School Night table surrounding mental health is very important because although academics are crucial, mental health is even more essential because it affects students’ overall well-being and ability to succeed.
In order for this year’s Back to School Night to be as effective and successful as possible, the JMAC decided to do something practical for parents to engage with wellness best practices: making stress balls. This tactile opportunity provided parents with the chance to engage with wellness practices while also informing them regarding JMAC activities. In addition to the stress ball table, JMAC also received support from Northwell Health during Back to School Night. Marina Pettinicchi, Supervisor of Outreach Services at Cohen Children’s Medical Center, shared information regarding the connection between Northwell and Jericho, as well as how to best support students’ mental health. “We have a lot of resources that we offer for the Jericho School District,” said Pettinicchi. Pettinicchi also shared the information about behavioral health partnership with the school district, which “provides mental health services to all students.” Having Northwell Health represented at the JMAC booth for Back to School Night helped show students and families that mental health resources are amply available throughout the Jericho community.
JMAC’s booth at Back to School Night was a great way to spread awareness about mental health while showing families the resources that are available to them. Between making stress balls, talking with JMAC members, and learning more about Northwell Health’s resources, parents were able to see how important mental health is in our school community. The night was a great opportunity for JMAC to connect with families and continue its goal of making mental health something that everyone feels comfortable talking about.
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