Wahluke students start club to promote mental health awareness, support

MATTAWA — Wahluke High School senior Jillian Aguilar has approval from the Wahluke School Board to start a club to help promote mental health awareness and support students that have mental health needs.

Aguilar is acting on the idea first conceived a few years ago by her fellow student Eli Barajas.

“Eli had an idea of starting a club where students come together to talk about their feelings,” Aguilar said.

At the time, Barajas didn’t get the club started, but this year, Aguilar decided to revisit the idea. Over the summer, Aguilar was able to participate in Meet Up, a summer college readiness program for minority students. As part of the program, Aguilar was required to do a community service project.

“I decided to take the club and transform it, get it up and running,” Aguilar said. “I feel like, in the community, most of the people in Mattawa come from the same similar background. Parents are not aware of mental health or don’t like to acknowledge it.”

For Aguilar, the struggle with mental health hits close to home. She personally struggles with anxiety and has family members who have autism. When she is in need of support and understanding, Aguilar can turn to her mother. But some of her friends don’t have that support system at home.

“I want to help build that support system,” Aguilar said. “A lot (of other students) don’t have the support that they need.”

One way Aguilar wants to help support her fellow students is by pointing them toward the resources they need.

“A lot of people don’t know that at the Mattawa Community Clinic, we have a psychiatrist,” Aguilar said.

She also wants to have the club be a safe, confidential place where students can express their feelings.

“That’s why it’s (called) Open Ear,” Aguilar said. “We’re willing to listen to what other members are going through. We’re willing to help in any way we can.”

Aguilar said especially during this time of COVID-19, when students may feel trapped and people are committing suicide, being there even virtually is important.

The first meeting for the Open Ear Club is today. Wahluke High School students are receiving invitations with links with which they can join the virtual meeting. All students are invited to join the club.

Aguilar said that so far, the response from students to the new club has been encouraging.

“People are texting me saying they want to be a part of this,” Aguilar said. “It warms my heart.”