For the first-time ever, St. Joseph High School students will be participating in a Grad Service Project. This year, students will be raising funds for the Smiles Thru Lindsey Foundation. The Foundation is geared at providing financial help to those with mental illness, as well as supporting the youth showing signs of, or experiencing a mental health crisis. The founders Cindy and Rick More, have continued to advocate for mental health awareness after losing their daughter, Lindsey, to suicide

The Grad Committee chose the Smiles Thru Lindsey Foundation, because students saw and continue to see, the daily effects that mental health has on people and how it affects the school community. Their hope is to leave behind a legacy of encouraging students to make positive and healthy choices, while creating a “ripple” effect throughout the school and The City of Red Deer. 

Mental health was a huge topic of conversation amongst the Grad Committee when determining where they wanted to focus their fundraising efforts for their inaugural year. Driving factors also included St. Joseph High School’s sense of community, inclusiveness and acceptance of others. 

“We are striving to work towards a culture where we can break down the barriers related to mental illness and make it easier for our students to talk about. A primary focus for our Grad Service Project week will be to spread awareness about mental health problems among students and come together as a school community. Many of the events we have planned stem from the notion of ‘togetherness’ and how the hands of many have the potential to create change and positively impact youth struggling with these illnesses,” said Event Coordinator, Ashley Visscher at St. Joseph High School. 

This week, the Grade 12 students and staff will participate in a series of events focusing on healthy ways to improve overall mental health, and aim to not only raise funds, but awareness about mental illness. 

Some of the highlights include: 

Today, April 16 – Unplug for Mental Health Cellphone-Free Day

To kick-off our Grad Service Project week,  students and staff are being urged to disconnect to connect! The hope is that the school community can “unplug” for a day (only one!) by giving up their cell phone to help raise awareness for mental health and open themselves up for real, face-to-face conversations with their teachers, friends, etc.

Students will get to be a part of creating a “ripple” effect throughout the Red Deer community to disconnect to connect.

Why?  The Unplug for Mental Health event aims to provide a safe community where students and teachers can engage in meaningful conversations with one-another, rather than sending an email, text or phone call as well as learn how to manage the amount of time they spend on social media in a healthy way.

TUESDAY, April 17 – Restaurant Takeover at State & Main (South Location 5-8 PM)

Tickets are becoming limited but a few remain at $10.  Please visit the St. Joseph’s HS front office to purchase tickets)

All are welcome! This event is open to the general public!

All money from ticket sales and 10% of all food sales will go towards the Smiles Thru Lindsey Foundation.  There’ a great Silent auction with awesome prizes and some Celebrity servers including some uniformed members of our community;  Red Deer RCMP Supt. Ken Foster, Honourary Lieutenant Colonel (Lloyd) Lewis of 41 Signal Regiment (and President of Todayville),  a Captain from Westjet, School Principal Mr. Graeme Daniel and others.

April 18 –  A Smile A Day Keeps the Doctor Away – On-site photobooth and smile wall

April 19 – Movin’ For Mental Health Exercisathon

April 20 – Let It Ripple Day

You can find out all about this week’s events and the Grad Service Project week by clicking here: https://stjosephhigh.ca/graduation/grad-service-project. 

For more information, please visit the school website at https://stjosephhigh.ca/.