Every so often, students have a fun activity to look forward to in the Wellness Center. Once, it was receiving their very own wellness plant and writing affirmations to go along with it. Another time, it was making Halloween self-care bags. These are only a couple of the events held by Bring Change to Mind, a club that emerged on campus just last year.
According to board member Viviana Barajas (’26), Bring Change to Mind hosts “monthly events for the entire school.” These events often center around different seasons and holidays, such as Trick or Treat Yourself, the aforementioned Halloween-themed event. During winter last year, the club leadership set up a tree for students to express their gratitude and served hot chocolate. On Valentine’s Day, the club leadership adorned the Wellness Center with red and pink decorations and set up a station for students to write self-love notes. Barajas emphasizes the large turnout at each event, indicating the club’s positive impact on the student body. However, the mission of Bring Change to Mind is not just limited to the Saint Francis community.
Bring Change to Mind was founded in 2010 by actress and advocate Glenn Close, whose sister Jessie was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2004. Today, according to its official website, this organization hosts 540 high school chapters and has “served more than 80,000 students across the country.” The organization aims to destigmatize the discussion around mental health by hosting school clubs and other youth programs, creating ad campaigns, and informing people about available resources. It has partnered with various brands and companies, from Headspace to Google to CNN.
“I think the club is pretty unique in that we cater to the entire school community, not just our club members,” says Ms. MaryLynne Rodriguez, the moderator of the Saint Francis Bring Change to Mind chapter. Rodriguez explains that while the club does have people sign up at the beginning of the year, they host events that can benefit the entire student body and ensure that a wide range of students can learn about important mental health topics.
The club leadership has some ideas on what the future of the club looks like. “Suicide prevention awareness is very important to talk about,” said Rodriguez, citing an issue she would like to see the club focus on. “[So are] informed consent [and] sexual assault prevention.” Rodriguez explains that these topics seem to be a stark contrast to the club’s fun, lighthearted activities, and that many don’t like to talk about them. However, bringing awareness to these topics is incredibly important.
Naturally, Bring Change to Mind is behind the flyers that showed up in the bathrooms last year. These flyers inform students about the adults they can reach out to on campus if they need someone to talk to. The flyers also include the numbers of various hotlines that students can reach out to in case of a crisis.
Needless to say, Bring Change to Mind is a great club for students at various places on their mental health journey. Regardless of the direction it goes in the future, it will always remain an invaluable fixture of the Saint Francis community.
