Have you ever had one of those days where nothing is going your way? You have multiple tests, feel tired from the week, and are overwhelmed with everything you still have to do from extracurriculars to school. If you need a quiet place where you can focus and recharge while stepping out of class, the wellness center is a great place for you. 

The wellness center is located next to the counseling center, and is located in room 853. As soon as you walk through the door, you are greeted with a calm, welcoming environment. String lights and tranquil music fill the room. There are various seating options, including bean bags, sofas, tables and chairs, and small blanket forts. There are also fish, a gecko, and an adorable dog named Bailey. Students are welcome to come in and hold the gecko or spend time petting the dog. 

The wellness center aims to have a variety of activities to help students regulate their nervous systems. There are art supplies, brain activities and board games, and other tactile items to help students calm down through touch. There are also numerous options for tea. The wellness room coordinator for Fairview, Mills Dancy, said that sometimes she also adds lemonade or hot chocolate to the wellness room to encourage more students to come in. “I like getting tea, and I like being able to just kind of decompress if I’m stressed out in a class,” said Sky Gurmendi (11). 

“Students say that the wellness room feels like a living room at school,” said Dancy. 

“It doesn’t feel like school in there. It feels like your own little world,” said Nikki DeKock (12).

Recent studies have demonstrated that young people today are experiencing high levels of both stress and anxiety, both of which have become worse since COVID-19.  The Centers for Disease Control learned that students are less likely to feel sad if they feel support from their school. Rather than hiding in the bathroom or not going to school when students are upset, they can visit the wellness center at their school. 

“For a long time, mental health has not been prioritized,” said Jennifer Parrish, the Mental Health Advocate at Fairview. Parrish believes that the wellness center is playing an essential role in prioritizing student mental health. 

On their website, Impact on Education, the organization that is behind the establishment of wellness centers across BVSD, stated that “We’re funding these Wellness Centers across Boulder Valley School District because we believe they’re powerful tools for supporting our youth and helping them thrive.” The first wellness center in BVSD was created at Monarch High School after the Marshall fire in 2021. 

“[It] was so successful and the students and families appreciated it so much, and probably the teachers too. But then they got some grants from Impact on Education and now there’s a wellness room in every comprehensive high school in Boulder Valley School District,” said Parish. 

BVSD schools that now have a wellness center include Boulder High, Centaurus, Monarch, Nederland Middle-Senior, New Vista, and Fairview. According to the Fairview website, the wellness center is a safe and supportive space where students can rest and recharge, connect with their peers or talk to a Mental Health Advocate about their feelings.  “It was really helpful my junior year for stress during my finals week and like doing all the SAT testing and stuff like that,” said Kiren Penzkover (12).

Teachers and counselors also appreciate having a place to send their students if they are having a hard time during class.  

“I love the wellness room because it’s just another space for kids. Like, if the counselors aren’t available, then the kids can go and check in with Ms. Mills,” said school counselor Kelsey Sheridan. Dancy appreciates that her position in the wellness center allows her to “hold space and create a special environment for students to feel comfortable being in and feel comfortable going to.” She also emphasizes that she always wants students to feel welcome in  the wellness room. and if not, she wants to hear from the students about what she can add to the room to make it feel more comfortable.