Rachel Winsten, K-12 Health Education, Physical Education, Driver’s Ed and the Junior ROTC with Brevard Public Schools in Florida, joins to discuss mental health education and programming in diverse districts, the importance of representation, empowerment and collaboration.

About Rachel

Rachel Winsten has been a health and physical education teacher for over 20 years. She received her undergraduate degree from SUNY Cortland and her Masters in Education from Hofstra University. Rachel’s career began teaching physical education and health at a large comprehensive high school in Queens. In 2012 she moved to Florida and became the district resource teacher (curriculum/content specialist) for K-12 health education, physical education, driver ed and JROTC for Brevard Public Schools. Rachel is an active member of SHAPE Florida where she currently serves at the VP for the Health & General Division. She is also an active member of SHAPE America and serves at the co-chair for the State and District Leaders Special Interest Group.  Rachel currently lives in Viera, Florida with her husband, two teenage sons and two rescue dogs.Brevard Public Schools is the 49th largest district in the U.S. and the 9th largest district in Florida.  BPS serves over 73,000 students annually.  With 83 schools, 10 special centers, and 12 charter schools, the district educates its students in 17 different municipalities across the Space Coast. Brevard Public School’s goal is to serve our community and enhance students’ lives by delivering the highest quality education in a culture of dedication, collaboration and learning.

 

About Erika’s Lighthouse

We are a not-for-profit dedicated to educating and raising awareness about adolescent depression, encouraging good mental health and breaking down the stigma surrounding mental health issues. Our vision is to make sure no young person feels alone in their depression. To become the leading provider of teen depression awareness programs and resources in middle school and high school communities. Our free programs support inclusive school cultures through classroom education, teen empowerment, family engagement and staff development. Learn more at Erika’s Lighthouse.org.

Kirsten Perry, SEL Specialist with Chicago Public Schools and the President of the Illinois School Counselors Association, discusses the evolving role of school counselors in addressing student mental health. Following the ASCA model, school counselors are taking a larger role in Social-Emotional Learning and being more proactive in student development.

About Kirsten

Kirsten Perry is a Social-Emotional Learning Specialist for the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) serving 29 schools in the Englewood and Auburn Gresham neighborhood. Kirsten also serves as the President for the Illinois School Counselor Association (ISCA) and as an adjunct instructor for DePaul University. Prior to this, she served as a K-12 School Counseling Specialist for the Chicago Public Schools for 2 years and as a P-8 school counselor for 7 years. Kirsten was named the National School Counselor of the Year by the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) in 2018 for her work at Lawndale Community Academy. She served as a Master Counselor for the Chicago Public School district for 5 years, mentoring school counselors and assisting with the development of district initiatives. Kirsten also served on the CPS Naviance Advisory Committee for 3 years, where she developed a middle school companion guide to be used district-wide to support Naviance implementation. Kirsten was awarded the CPS Directors Choice Award from the Chicago Public Schools in 2013 for her work with high school matriculation and was named the CPS Site Supervisor of the Year in 2015 for her work supporting school counseling interns. She earned her undergraduate degree in 2006 from the University of Illinois at Chicago with a degree in the Liberal Arts and earned her masters degree in school counseling from DePaul University in 2011 where she also earned the Distinguished Alumni Award in 2018. She is the proud mother of one son who is a Chicago Public School graduate and also a graduate of Roosevelt University where he studied social entrepreneurship. It is her passion to serve at-risk youth and underserved communities by developing programs that work to create change and close the achievement gap.

Connect with her on LinkedIn.

Stephanie Morris, CEO of SHAPE America, discusses how to integrate mental health into physical education. The discussion focuses on health.moves.minds. programming from SHAPE America, mutli-disciplinary collaboration within schools and how we can create culture change within buildings.

About Stephanie

Stephanie A. Morris serves as Chief Executive Officer at SHAPE America, the nation’s largest membership organization of health and physical education professionals. Since being founded in 1885, the organization has defined excellence in physical education, and SHAPE America’s National Standards for K-12 Physical Education serve as the foundation for well-designed physical education programs across the country.Previously, she served as a deputy executive director for the National Association for the Education of Young Children, a professional membership organization working to promote high-quality early learning for all young children, birth through age 8, by connecting early childhood practice, policy, and research. In this role, she oversaw the development and implementation of strategies related to the organization’s membership, conferences, professional development programs and resources, corporate partnerships and customer care.

Prior to this role, Morris was the assistant vice president for membership and marketing at the American Council on Education, where she oversaw and directed all marketing, web and membership activities for this higher education association, representing more than 1,800 college and university presidents from all sectors.

Morris has also served as Assistant Vice President for marketing and business development at Widmeyer Communications, a mid-sized independent public affairs firm headquartered in Washington, DC, and as the Director of Communications for the National Women’s Business Council, an independent advisory group comprised of C-suite women executives that reports to the White House and others on women’s entrepreneurship.

Morris volunteers as a Girls on the Run Coach for Discovery Elementary School in Arlington, VA, and has served on several nonprofit organization boards, including the Lee-Fendall House and Museum in Alexandria, VA; Horizons Women’s Theater in Washington, DC; and, the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network of Washington, DC.

Morris holds an MBA from the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland, and earned her bachelor of arts degree in Russian and Eurasian Studies from Mount Holyoke College.

Connect with her on LinkedIn.

The team from The Dealing Deck, Adelle and Emma, discuss how their teen-founded business are tackling adolescent mental health challenges in schools. Ilana Sherman, MPH, Director of Education with Erika’s Lighthouse, then shares how Teen Empowerment Clubs around the world are changing school cultures by building inclusive communities around mental health.

About The Dealing Deck

The Dealing Deck was founded by 4 students attending Highland Park High School on a mission to educate their peers about healthy ways to cope with depression and anxiety as well as spread awareness.

Emma and Adelle are Co-CEOs and among 4 Co-Founders of The Dealing Deck. They are constantly challenging their own perception of mental health through connecting with local schools, organizations, professionals and their own peers, and they unite their community to initiate change through the The Dealing Deck and their involvement in the Mental Health America North Shore Youth Advisory Board. Emma hopes to study business management next year at college and Adelle hopes to pursue advertising and film/photography.

About Ilana

Ilana joined Erika’s Lighthouse in September 2019 as Director of Education. She has a Masters Degree in Public Health from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Ilana brings with her over 15 years of non-profit health education programming experience ranging from Outreach Coordinator to Director of Education. Ilana is excited to be part of Erika’s Lighthouse to help further the mission and empower preteens, teens, their caregivers and educators to learn and talk openly about adolescent depression. Follow her on LinkedIn.

Jeanie Alter, PhD, Executive Director at the American School Health Association, discusses the intersection between the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) health model and school mental health. We cover how the model is designed to promote collaboration between various school personnel in order to improve school health - including school mental health.

About Jeanie

Dr. Jeanie Alter is the Executive Director of the American School Health Association. She is also an adjunct instructor for graduate courses at Indiana University. Prior to her role with ASHA, she served as an evaluator and technical assistance provider for community coalitions engaging in youth substance use prevention initiatives. She is a native Hoosier and lives in  Bloomington Indiana with her husband, son, dogs, and horse. Visit Jeanie at ASHA. Follow her on LinkedIn.

 

About Erika's Lighthouse

We are a not-for-profit dedicated to educating and raising awareness about adolescent depression, encouraging good mental health and breaking down the stigma surrounding mental health issues. Our vision is to make sure no young person feels alone in their depression. To become the leading provider of teen depression awareness programs and resources in middle school and high school communities. Our free programs include classroom curriculum, teen clubs and parent engagement resources. Learn more at Erika's Lighthouse.org.

Sally Stevens, School Mental Health Administrator and Author, discusses stress, anxiety and the continuum of mental health challenges in youth. The discussion focuses on the importance of education and awareness, early identification and intervention to support student mental health. Sally is the author of Social Anxiety Workbook for Teens: 10-Minute Methods to Reduce Stress and Gain Confidence as well as a seasonal ebook Holiday Stress: What To Do About It.

About Sally

Sally Stevens, LCSW, PPSC, M.Ed. began her career in education in Los Angeles County fourteen years ago as a school social worker in multiple roles.  Currently, she is a School Mental Health Administrator where she oversees multiple initiatives.  Sally uses humor and a pinch of New York City directness to destigmatize mental health.  Her passion is providing equity to all students.  She sits on the board of Friends of School Mental Health, a non-profit that supports students in crises affecting their ability to attend and learn at school.  Sally released a book June of 2020, which was unfortunately perfect timing for our current situation: Social Anxiety Workbook for Teens: 10-Minute Methods to Reduce Stress and Gain Confidence, 2020 Rockridge Press.  Coming November 2020, ebook: Holiday Stress, What to Do About It.  The ebook features practical strategies to cope with holiday stress and mitigate a stressful season.  Additionally, Sally is the founder of Anchor Yourself Wellness in Huntington Beach, which offers mental health services and consultation for children, individuals, and families. Connect with her on LinkedIn.

 

About Erika’s Lighthouse

We are a not-for-profit dedicated to educating and raising awarene

Jess Lawrence, Director at Cairn Guidance, discusses the intersection between health education and school mental health. We cover how skills-based education can support student growth and success beyond a lesson, how the WSCC model can be implemented throughout the school and the future of health education.

About Jess

Jess Lawrence is an enthusiastic, energetic, extroverted New Englander living in Eastern Kentucky by way of Portland, Oregon after 20 years.  She started her career doing exactly what she wanted to do since her own high school experience—teaching 7th graders health education. In 2003, Jess was hired as the Health Education Curriculum Specialist for the Oregon Department of Education, where she provided assistance and professional development to health education teachers across Oregon. In 2006, Jess pursued a career as a national school health consultant, working with state departments of education and health, school districts and non-profits working to create healthier schools and communities for students and staff. She writes health education curriculum, facilitates and trains educators on school health issues and presents at conferences. Her work focuses on the idea of educating and supporting the whole child. In 2015, Jess fell in love with someone and left her beloved Portland Oregon to be with him and his three children in Morehead KY! They have two dogs Ase and Hope and Jess enjoys cycling, international travel, cooking and watching soccer. Visit Jess at Cairn Guidance. Follow her on LinkedIn.

 

About Erika's Lighthouse

We are a not-for-profit dedicated to educating and raising awareness about adolescent depression, encouraging good mental health and breaking down the stigma surrounding mental health issues. Our vision is to make sure no young person feels alone in their depression. To become the leading provider of teen depression awareness programs and resources in middle school and high school communities. Our free programs include classroom curriculum, teen clubs and parent engagement resources. Learn more at Erika's Lighthouse.org.

Peggy Kubert, LCSW, Senior Director of Education, Erika's Lighthouse speaks about the changes in School Mental Health over the past 15 years, how Erika's Lighthouse curriculum provides an upstream alternative or complement to suicide prevention programs, and how Erika's Lighthouse can help change a school's culture.



About Peggy

Peggy is a licensed clinical social worker, addictions counselor, student assistance trainer and parent educator.  She has a Masters Degree from the University of Chicago, and an undergraduate degree from Northwestern University.  Peggy has been with Erika’s Lighthouse since 2006, developing our programming and working with schools to implement our programs. Peggy is passionate about providing consultation, support and training to students, educators, parents and health professionals to help young people lead healthy, happy and productive lives. Follow Peggy on LinkedIn.

About Erika's Lighthouse

We are a not-for-profit dedicated to educating and raising awareness about adolescent depression, encouraging good mental health and breaking down the stigma surrounding mental health issues. Our vision is to make sure no young person feels alone in their depression. To become the leading provider of teen depression awareness programs and resources in middle school and high school communities. Our free programs include classroom curriculum, teen clubs and parent engagement resources. Learn more at Erika's Lighthouse.org.