The month of February hosts many different celebrations, including Random Acts of Kindness week. Noli Indian School Counselor II Seandee Brown promotes this concept all year long and students are responding with positive results.
She creates a monthly newsletter called WELLNEWS that focuses on a different mental health theme each month, offering encouraging words and links to resources. Along with printed copies available at the Wellness Center she uses as her office, electronic versions with links to resources can be accessed on the school's website as well as through the parent portal. The Wellness Center is a repurposed classroom space that is centrally located on campus. Students were directly involved in its creation to ensure it would be inviting to all students.
Brown, who is also a certified Level II Wellness Coach, was able to have Noli Indian School recognized as an official Kindness School by the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation for “helping to make kindness the norm.”
Middle and high school students are welcomed into the classroom during their 30-minute lunch periods where they can use the time to relax and express themselves in a calm environment that offers soft music and low lighting. Brown said the younger students usually number up to 10 on a regular basis and she often has 20 or more high school students stop by.
While the majority of the Wellness Center is theirs, Brown does have her work desk in the corner where students can stop by anytime to talk or seek guidance. She does not have formal office hours.
In February, the focus was on self-compassion, body image and self-esteem. Students were able to visit the center to write a kind note to someone, or even to themselves, because “words matter.” They also were given the opportunity to decorate a personal journal with a few different types of stickers available for them to choose from.
Brown is able to adapt activities and resources to current trends, based on student concerns that are shared with her. She found that many girls like to express themselves through words while boys are more interested in using art to accomplish that. Therefore, she made journals with and without lines and some that are pocket sized so they can be carried in a back pocket. Larger composition books are kept in a locked drawer only Brown can access and she will only read them if requested by the student.
Some of the journals have blank covers for them to decorate with available motivational stickers while others have textured sensory stickers to help soothe the senses and manage stress. Brown tells the students that however they want to personalize it is up to them and their creativity.
Junior Jeffrey Arres was working on the cover of his journal that he plans to fill with phrases and metaphors to help him keep going and relax.
“This is something I really needed with this gloomy weather,” he said. “I like the sense of hominess in here. It’s somewhere to sit and breathe and get away from everything. It’s a good room with a good person who is fit for this position. This is something that was well needed. People can come in here to express themselves, draw, read, listen to music.”
Jerimyah Saenz, 15, was coloring a beach scene on the cover of his pocket journal. He said being in the center helps him be calmer. Sophomore Shanee Demara finds the center very relaxing and peaceful. “I really like all the activities,” she said. Shanee was making two journals, one to write in and one to draw in, using different color schemes for each.
Brown also set out some note cards that said thank you on the outside and were blank on the inside. She encouraged students to write a message to others but to also have gratitude for themselves and write about that. They were able to take the cards with them to complete at a later time if they so wished.
Monique Russell, 17, said, “I love the good energy that everybody brings here. I come in to talk to my friends and eat lunch.” When she completed decorating a journal, she planned to write a thank you note to give to her grandmother. “She takes care of me and is always there to listen and take care of my problems.”
Brown often suggests projects and many students respond to those requests, which are not requirements. With input from students, an “I applied” wall was created to inspire conversations about college. “As soon as I know they have applied to a certain college, I follow up and if they received an acceptance letter, I ask them to forward it to me,” Brown said. She then makes an AI-generated photo of the student wearing the cap and gown of their future college to show how they will look when they graduate from there. That is put on the wall next to a copy of their acceptance letter. She said college plans were traditionally talked about only near the end of the school year and she wanted students to always be thinking about the process to reach their goals.
January was all about goal setting and the growth mindset as everyone was encouraged to start the new year with purpose. They were asked to use the SMART approach for setting goals: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound.
Students were introduced to dream boards, and more than a dozen were hung up on the wall with the explanation of SMART goal setting. They learned how to do this so they could continue this at home or anytime they wanted something tangible that reflects their next goals.
Brown regularly enlists the help of teachers to reinforce her monthly themes in their advisory periods and creating a vision board was one of those ideas. To prepare teachers for upcoming activities, she creates short lesson plans they can incorporate into their time with the students. This allows Brown to have discussions with students about the subject rather than a regimented teaching session.
For March, students will have the opportunity to concentrate on stress management and emotional balance. Learning how to manage stress helps students feel more in control, confident, and prepared to handle challenges. Self-help tools for emotion regulation include positive self-talk and turning big tasks into smaller more manageable steps.
“As we enter a busy time of the year, many of our students are balancing academics, extracurricular activities, social pressures, and personal responsibilities,” Brown said. “This month’s newsletter highlights the importance of helping students recognize stress and use healthy strategies to cope.”
The first week in February was National School Counselor week and Brown offered students a way to voice “something Mrs. Seandee taught me” by writing on a poster hung on the center’s door. Sentiments included: ”think before you act,” “stay true to myself,” “how to advocate for myself,” and “to be nice.”
This is the first full school year the Wellness Center has been available, and Brown has seen a great improvement in communication among students, with much less negativity. A posted quote by Brown that greets students to the Wellness Center is, “When the world tries to weigh you down, dust your feet off and keep walking—every step forward is proof that you’re stronger than what tried to stop you.”
The Bureau of Indian Education recently highlighted the Noli Wellness Center on its social media accounts and weekly newsletter at https://app.smore.com/n/3w6pb. The BIE serves approximately 40,000 K–12 students at 183 elementary and secondary schools on 64 reservations in 23 states. Since 2022, Noli has served students from 28 different Tribes.
In preparation for the center’s upcoming “Say Yes to the Dress Prom Boutique” to provide free dresses, shoes, and accessories to students, Brown is requesting donations through March 19. They are accepting gently used or new prom dresses, dress shoes/heels, shawls or wraps, and gift cards for things such as alterations and beauty services, etc. For questions or partnership opportunities, contact Brown by text at 951-663-3642 or at sbrown@noliclassroom.com.
Photos courtesy of the Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians
