April 21, 2025 – It was a day filled with music, movement, and mindfulness for more than 1,000 Team Duval high school students who attended the district’s 10th Annual Student Mental Health Summit this month.
Whether it was creating stress balls with Play-Doh and balloons or leaping over Hula Hoops to battle other students in a rock, scissors, paper competition, students say they left with practical and fun tips to enhance their mental wellness.
“What we’ve found is that a lot of students aren’t sitting in their feelings,” said Katrina Taylor, Director of Mental Health Services for the district. “They may be sad, but they express it in anger. What we’ve seen through the years is that a lot of kids suppress it, and we’ve found that we needed to equip our students with effective strategies.”
Taylor said the
district has made significant strides in increasing students’ mental health literacy, but the conference is where they learn to take action. This year’s theme was “Big Mood: Embracing Your Emotions.” Taylor says it was a one-stop shop for students with breakout sessions, panel discussions, a sensory hall, access to therapists, and about 40 vendors.
The conference focused on tackling serious issues, including emotional well-being, youth empowerment, access to mental health resources, and the current state of youth mental health. Several of the workshops were led by students, including Rodney Glover Jr., a junior at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts, who served as a member of the planning committee.
“A lot of students nowadays are dealing with stress from outside factors, and even in-school factors –– learning how to navigate teenage life, having a job, getting homework done on time, and how to fit ‘me’ time in,” said Glover.
Glover and his fellow student leaders facilitated the “Let’s Move” workshop which was filled with games like musical chairs, charades, and a Hula Hoop obstacle course. He said he was excited to see his peers truly engaging.
“When you’re still, you’re stagnant,” said Glover. “When you’re moving, it does wonders for your body and mind. Your mind is your greatest weapon.”
Taylor said nationally, one in five students struggle with mental health concerns, and less than 20% of those receive the services that they need. The number of students receiving mental health support is about 50-60 percent for the district.
“The area I think our students need help in is, ‘If I am feeling this way, what do I do about it? What are some strategies? What are some interventions that I can do to really help with that?’” Taylor said. “I think that we have to make sure that we are completely meeting the needs of the whole child, and I think one way that we're doing that as a school district is through this conference.”
Glover said he felt the conference served as a safe space to teach students how to thrive and survive.
“We are big brothers and big sisters, so the younger generation that is coming after us, if we instill the teachings now and instill the mindset that you're not alone--then they'll pass that on,” said Glover. “We're going really in-depth, that way, the students understand and then put those same things into practice.”
Story by Brittany Jones
Photos courtesy of district employee, Cristina Van Gaasbeek