HURON — Mental Health Milestones $500 scholarship winners Nahomy Reyes Moncada and Karly Knippling accepted their awards Monday at the MHM weekly meeting.
Reyes Moncada and Knippling were among students who submitted essays on mental health awareness. The two are recent graduates of Huron High School.
The money for one scholarship was raised at a Rock Resilience concert sponsored by Riverfront Broadcasting LLC (KOKK, KIJV, KJRV) on April 11. The money raised at the event also supported the Beadle County Survivors Suicide Awareness group. An anonymous donor gave $500 to offer the second scholarship.
Their winning essays are as follows:
By Nahomy Reyes Moncada, Attending Minnesota State University-Moorhead
Mental health is something that not everyone takes into consideration. Often people think younger people are just being lazy, but the truth is it’s very important. Being aware of mental health is important especially with the effect it has not only on them but on their friends and family. No one truly knows when someone is struggling and when they are struggling they hide it because they think it’s a burden on everyone else. People are scared to ask for the help that they need as they think their problems are less than everyone else’s not realizing it’s as important. All mental health is important, caring about it is important because it’s human. A simple ‘are you okay?’ Can help someone be free from caring about the burden they have on their shoulders. It’s an outlet to show that people care and their importance in the world.
Stress comes everywhere whether it’s from home, school, or even writing an essay that you hope comes out well. Why stress though? Take the time to look around you and see everyone else, taking a deep breath remembering that if you stress too much you’ll lose your hair. That’s a joke but sometimes a good laugh means every little bit relieving a stress that maybe you didn’t even know of. Eating something sour will take your mind off what you are thinking of so desperately and remind you that life is sour as much as it is sweet. Sometimes we want something so bad we forget that there are two endings that you stress about both of them on how you’ll react, going with the flow with both the sweet and sour is a reminder that yes it could go both ways,but never make it so important it takes over you. Taking breaks in between work helps especially when you are stressing over finals. Play a game, drink water or even have a snack before you go forward. Stress takes a toll on your body whether it’s visible or not. Stress can be heavy but the right measurement of fun and taking deep breath will for sure help.
In my life I’ve had struggles like everyone else, but at a time I believed differently. I believed I deserved all of my struggles that I was less important in life. Life was dull with no dreams and no milestones to reach. That was until I was asked if I was okay and for the first time I didn’t lie about it. The feeling of being able to talk of something I wasn’t able to pinpoint yet, because how could a happy girl be sad, she couldn’t is what I thought. That was never true, I’m human learning that my problems are as important even if they are little ones. I came to realize that my life is important and if I went on the same path I did when I started my freshman year I wouldn’t be able to see myself as I am now. I now see what the future holds for me and it scares me but I learned three important things, I am important no matter what anyone says, needing help does not mean you are weak, and life would not be better if did not exist, because we all have a purpose weather we realize it now or later.
Improving means going forward into life, but what if going forward means coming out of the hardest place you’ve been and can’t seem to leave. The first step to improve is to leave your mindset that you are alone because everyone is surrounded by friends, teachers and family.
You have to be able to trust and let yourself know that you can talk to them. Improving means falling, so when your feet trips to that next step, never feel guilty for that because you achieved going forward. Falling is a process of getting better, you see your own mistakes before you get better and you make more mistakes as well. Nothing is easy when you are trying to improve something. It’s also a good reminder to breathe and take in everything you’ve accomplished, sometimes it can get hard but you just have to slow down,turn around and look at your success.
Improving doesn’t mean getting better right away, it comes with struggles that everyone goes through and it means to try again, no matter what.
By Karly Knippling, attending South Dakota State University
Yes, I believe mental health awareness is very important because it helps people understand that mental health is just as important as physical health. When people are more aware, they’re more likely to recognize signs of stress, anxiety, or depression in themselves and others. It also helps reduce stigma, so people feel more comfortable asking for help instead of feeling embarrassed or alone. Overall, awareness can lead to better support systems and healthier communities.
Some coping skills that help when I’m feeling stressed include staying active, I am not in any sports but I consistently work out and it has had such a big impact on my mental health. I am able to start my day off right, with a clear mind and motivation. I also find that listening to music or journaling helps me process my thoughts. I am very involved in music at my school, participating in band, choir, orchestra, and lots of other ensembles stemming from those; listening to or playing music is one big coping skill that I use a lot. Talking to someone I trust, like a friend or family member, can also make a big difference. Another helpful strategy is taking breaks and focusing on one task at a time instead of getting overwhelmed.
One milestone I’ve reached is learning how to manage stress better, especially while being apart of a lot of activities and clubs, which can tend to be overwhelming. Another is becoming more confident in myself and not relying as much on other people’s opinions. I feel that as a teenager we are so reliant on what others are thinking about us but it is necessary to be confident within your own skin. A third milestone is being more open about my feelings and communicating better with others instead of keeping everything bottled up; whether that be in friendships relationships, family, or even teachers. These have helped me grow emotionally and handle challenges more effectively.
Some steps I can take to improve my mental health include maintaining a balanced routine with enough sleep, exercise, and healthy habits. As a teenager it may be difficult to change the habits that you have, or maybe even seem “different” than your peers, but it is so necessary to take care of yourself. I can also make time for things I enjoy and that help me relax. Staying connected with supportive people and asking for help when needed is important too.
Additionally, practicing mindfulness or focusing on positive thinking, a way that I do this is journal every night and reflect on the day and look forward to the next, this helps me stay more balanced and resilient.
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