The District is committed to educating its students on the importance of mental health and wellness. The district hosted two We Are All a Little "Crazy" assemblies at Freeport High School and J.W. Dodd Middle School. We Are All a Little "Crazy" is a nonprofit organization founded by Eric Kussin, former sports executive, with a mission to highlight the significance of mental wellness. These assemblies were funded by The Sophia Valsamos Foundation.
Through the organization, Kussin also developed the #Samehere movement, where people hand gesture "same here" in sign language to show others that they're not alone in any struggles they are facing.
Kussin shared his life story with students about his struggle with mental health and how he overcame the battle. Another presenter, Eric Kelly, former four-time national boxing champion and former member of the U.S. National Olympic team, also shared his story as well.
Kelly advised students to act as a sponge by taking in what positively affects them and filtering out what negatively affects them. "You may get knocked down a few times, but the fight isn't over," Kelly said. "Everyone has struggles but don't give up."
Kussin provided students with helpful strategies to relieve stress, such as breathing techniques, meditation and exercising.
Students also heard from Dr. Jennifer Hartstein, owner of Hartstein Psychological Services and psychologist specializing in CBT/DBT. Dr. Hartstein advised students to ask for help when battling challenges.
