Photo courtesy of Family Services Navigator Megan Elliott (front left) and Peer Services Navigator Kayla Straight (both with the Alliance for the Mentally Handicapped of Greater Wheeling West Virginia) with Bridgeport High School Interact. Donations were received from the club and presented by the senior lieutenant. President Davonte Smith, back, left, junior and president Taya Cooper, and teacher and club advisor Lynette Ellmantraut. They raised money during Mental Health Day in February.
BRIDGEPORT — Bridgeport Exempt Village School District’s first Mental Health Day benefited both students and the broader community as participants were able to contribute to the Greater Wheeling West Virginia National Alliance on Mental Illness .
On March 22, Bridgeport High School’s Interact Club donated $257.76 to NAMI. Funds were raised from coffee bar sales during an event in February where students could take a break from studying, relax and enjoy stress-reducing activities.
Lynette Ehrmantraut, an English teacher who serves as Interact Club advisor, said students led the day’s planning. The Interact Club promotes the school’s participation in community events.
“The students did a great job.” she said.
NAMI representatives Megan Elliott, Family Services Navigator, and Kayla Straight, Peer Services Navigator, thanked club members and added that NAMI has a long-standing partnership with the school district.
“I think it’s really great that the students took it upon themselves to raise money for our organization. We always love coming to Bridgeport. We come here every year and… I do teen mental health first aid with second graders. It’s always a great experience here. The kids here are very polite.” Elliot said.
Agreed straight.
“They are always engaged in the learning process and are interested in learning more about their own mental health and the mental health of their friends and those around them, so it is always an open and accepting environment.”
Straight said the donations will go to NAMI’s Bridgeport Drop-In Center on Route 857. The center is open Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
“It’s available to anyone living with a mental health condition so they can come and look for support. We have lots of activities throughout the week. We have support groups there. We provide free lunch to everyone every day and are very open and accepting where people can connect with resources and provide the support they need to successfully recover their mental health. It’s the environment.” Straight said.
Ehrmantraut said mental health support is also part of Interact Club’s mission.
“The Interact Club students decided they wanted to do a mental health day, and we decided: ‘How can we make the biggest impact, not only in our school, but in our community?’
She said NAMI is an invaluable resource for the district.
“They come in and talk to different groups of students about important relationships around mental health.” Ehrmantraut said. She added that NAMI representatives spoke with second-graders about suicide prevention last year and this year. “It’s generally a great support that these mental health professionals can provide to our schools.”
Ehrmantraut said options for next year’s Mental Health Day include further collaboration with NAMI to expand the types of mental health offerings for students, not just on that day but throughout the year.
Interact Club junior and president Taya Cooper said she and her fellow club members are excited to be involved.
“It was really great. Everyone really loved doing it. I know we had a really fun time making the coffee and giving it out to people, and that it went to a good place.” , and I realized that I needed to actually do something for other people and get involved in the community.” she said. “It’s really great to get kids involved.”
Principal Jack Fisher praised the students.
“I’m so proud of the students who came together to create something that was fun, productive, and beneficial to others. I’m obviously proud of the fact that they were supporting a good cause and , it’s great to donate to support mental health awareness, thanks to Interact Club’s work on Mental Health Day and the money raised, as well as all the other work happening in our schools and communities. really shows how our kids shine at Bridgeport. They’re really doing a lot of great work and we’re so proud of them.”
You can contact NAMI through our drop-in center and main office located at 1035 Chaplain St., Wheeling. The phone number is 304-905-0635.
