MARSHFIELD, WI (OnFocus) – The Marshfield School District, Columbus Catholic Schools and Premier Printing are combining to help the Marshfield community show their support for those struggling with mental health issues.
Both the Marshfield and Columbus Leadership Alliance (MCLA) and the Marshfield Area Coalition for Youth (MACY) are teaming up to put on a t-shirt sale in support of mental health initiatives in the Marshfield area.
First, the groups held a contest to come up with a design for the shirts that were to be sold. During the month of December, students from Kindergarten through 12th-grade got a chance to submit a design for the contest that was themed, “Kindness begins with Understanding.”
After 60 entries, the student body at Marshfield schools voted for their choice and a winner was chosen.
Marshfield School District Mental Health Coordinator Joanne Greenlee said the school’s t-shirt initiative is purely student-run.
“This is a student led initiative,” Greenlee said. “It is their first try at something like this and they hope to make it an annual event.”
On Feb. 14, the school districts and community are encouraged to don their shirts in support of mental health and to help kick off a week full of kindness and mental health awareness at Marshfield schools leading up to Random Acts of Kindness Day on Feb. 17.
Greenlee said the students with MCLA and MACY are trying to create a community aspect around mental health.
“The goal for wearing the t-shirts is awareness; to remind people how important kindness is to ourselves and to others, and that how we treat each other matters, both individually and as a community,” Greenlee said. “Everyone wearing the t-shirts on one day can have a positive impact to show we are unified in wanting to make things better for ourselves and others, that we care about each other.”
The Marshfield School District recently put together a consortium of services to help students struggling with their mental health. Proceeds of the t-shirt sale will go to helping build the consortium which will play a role in the success of students at Marshfield schools.
“The School District of Marshfield continues to focus on the social and emotional needs of our students, as well as the academic,” Greenlee said. “We have a continuum of support services available to students and provide training to staff related to student social and emotional needs. The consortium is only one part of the services available to our students.”
The goal for the consortium according to Greenlee is to help remove barriers that prevent students and their families receive access to mental health help.
“One barrier can be financial,” Greenlee said. “We have partnered with The Marshfield Area United Way to provide funding for students who have finances as a barrier to treatment (sometimes is it youth without insurance, families who have high deductibles, or families who have insurance that does not adequately cover mental health services). Families can apply for assistance if they are receiving services through the consortium and its providers.”
T-shirts will be on sale through Friday, Jan. 21 on Premier Printing’s Website for those interested. The shirts cost $10 – $15 depending on the size of the shirt.
If you have questions about how to order you can reach out to the team at Premier Printing at 715-486-0603 or email [email protected].
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