May is Mental Health Awareness Month
While we often hear adults complain about feeling stressed, teens report significantly more stress than adults. The American Psychological Association reports that adult stress averages 3.8 on a 10-point scale, compared to 5.8 for American teens. Seventy-five percent of high school students and fifty percent of middle schoolers report feeling consistently stressed due to schoolwork.
As the end of the school year approaches, students often experience an elevated level of stress due to final projects, exams, competitions and uncertainty about their next step – whether that is entering a new grade, a new school or finding a job. While some stress can be good by releasing cortisol, which increases energy and motivation, too much stress can overwhelm coping mechanisms and cause cognitive disruptions. The key is to learn how to manage stress so that it doesn’t negatively impact focus, memory and mood.
Upstream Education, a Denver-based nonprofit, has been working with students and schools to offer and teach bite-sized well-being tools in the classroom for nearly a decade. These activities are designed to be simple and quick so they can easily be implemented and provide tools that strengthen resilience and reduce anxiety for both teachers and students inside and outside the classroom. Examples of these evidence-based tools include “finger breathing,” naming and affirming feelings, exploring perspective and practicing self-compassion. Sample exercises are available on Upstream’s website.
Educators and students are noticing the difference. Upstream Education currently works with 53 middle and high schools in the Denver area alone and 82% of students would recommend the program to peers. Since 2023, the Caring for Denver Foundation has invested more than $600,000 to bring Upstream’s teaching into additional Denver schools. As a voter-approved, taxpayer-funded initiative, the foundation works to address mental health and substance misuse by advancing community-informed solutions, reducing stigma, and building coping skills early in life.