Photos: School of Education’s C.A.R.E. Symposium Highlights Mental Wellness Practices for the Classroom

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."

The poignant Margaret Mead quote set the tone for a day of learning and sharing best practices as Point Park University's School of Education hosted its first C.A.R.E. Wellness Mental Health and Well-Being Symposium, an event designed to underscore and uplift the role educators play in supporting students who are facing mental health challenges. C.A.R.E. stands for collaboration, advocacy, research and education.

Educators, including many School of Education students and alumni, attended a panel discussion and various workshops focused on addressing trauma and its impact on student learning, mental health and well-being while exploring the powerful relationship between community connection and the arts. 

The symposium featured a keynote address by Tim Knoster, Ed.D., professor at the Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania, Bloomsburg Campus, McDowell Institute. His remarks highlighted the importance of trauma-informed practices in schools before closing with Mead's iconic quote.

A panel discussion gave a platform to educators from a variety of schools and organizations to share their experiences and insights on how to support students who are experiencing stress, anxiety or other emotional challenges, such as back-to-school uneasiness. Panelists included Marisa Bragg, principal at South Allegheny Middle School; Kirsten Christopherson-Clark, head of school at Waldorf School of Pittsburgh; Billy Hartung, executive director of the Center for Theater Arts; Tom McKelvey, assistant principal at Haine Elementary School and Alisa Whysong, founder of The Positive Painting Project. 

Workshop sessions included: 

• "Together Setting the Stage for Success - We All Have a Role to Play," by Billy Hartung. Self-image, self-confidence and embracing shared experiences were key topics explored through theatrical activities that centered on creativity and collaboration. 
• "Social Emotional Learning & Maker Education," by Kamryn York, Ed.D., assistant professor. Antoinette Portis' book, "Not a Box," was used as a springboard for participants to interview each other and craft items related to their interviewee's interests using cardboard boxes and other materials in Point Park's Matt's Maker Space Lab.
• "One Sign at a Time," by Alisa Whysong. Participants colored vibrant posters and pins featuring various positive phrases while discussing the positive impact that creating art can have on one's mental wellness. 
• Waldorf Education: An Integrated Approach," by Robyn Thomas and Jill Zihar of the Waldorf School of Pittsburgh. Participants learned about the Waldorf curriculum through math, storytelling, handwork and movement activities. 

Other activities included friendship bracelet-making stations and a book raffle. In recognition of their contributions to mental health and well-being research and practices in their communities, C.A.R.E. Wellness Awards were presented to:

• Tim Knoster, Ed.D., professor at the Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania, Bloomsburg Campus, McDowell Institute, Distinguished Career and Leadership Award
• Billy Hartung, executive director of the Center for Theater Arts, Community Leadership & Service in the Arts Award
• Todd and Alisa Whysong, founders of The Positive Painting Project, Community Impact Award

The symposium was organized by the school's C.A.R.E. Wellness team, which includes professors Vincenne Revilla Beltrán, Richard Gutkind, Kamryn York and Christal Edmunds. It was funded by the School of Education and a social impact grant from Point Park's Department of Community Engagement & Leadership, 

The event aligns with other efforts taken by the School of Education to emphasize the significance of mental health and well-being in the education field:

• Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) training is embedded in the School of Education's undergraduate coursework so that students are prepared to assist children experiencing a mental health or addiction challenge or crisis when they teach in their future classrooms. This training will soon be expanded to graduate coursework. 
• Over the summer, Dr. Edmunds and Dr. Revilla Beltrán traveled to England to share their research on social emotional learning, or SEL, with fellow educators and mental health professionals. They also learned how other schools incorporate SEL concepts into classrooms and community centers. 
• The school recently launched a new Social, Emotional and Behavioral Wellness Endorsement of Students in PreK-12, through which students develop an understanding of social, emotional and behavioral wellness to address non-academic barriers to learning to help foster resiliency in PreK-12 students.

View more photos from the symposium in the gallery below:

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