May 10, 2024

Mental Health Awareness Month

May is Mental Health Awareness Month! To recognize this, the be nice club is hosting a Mental Health Awareness Week from May 13th - May 17th.

We are excited to welcome Holland Middle School’s certified facility dog, Shimmy, to Holland High on May 16th during both A and B lunch. Below is a list of benefits, identified through numerous research studies,  that come with having a therapy dog at school:

● Cognitive- companionship with a dog stimulates memory, problem-solving and game playing. 
● Social- a dog provides a positive mutual topic for discussion, encourages responsibility, well-being, and focused interaction with others. 
● Emotional- school dogs improve self-esteem, acceptance from others and lifts mood, often provoking laughter and fun. Dogs can also teach compassion and respect for other living things as well as relieving anxiety. 
● Physical- interaction with a furry friend reduces blood pressure, provides tactile stimulation, assists with pain management, gives motivation to move, walk and stimulates the senses. 

If, for any reason, you would like to request that your student does not interact with Shimmy, please email Mrs. Mehall at amehall@hollandpublicschools.org so that we can make the appropriate accommodations. 

We hope you will join us in welcoming Shimmy to Holland High School and work to spread mental health awareness.

Sincerely,

Holland High School
 

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