It’s been five years since the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered schools for months, upending the education and lives of millions of students.
A group of students at Guadalupe Centers High School in Kansas City spoke with their friends and teachers about the toll the pandemic took on their mental health, and how those issues persist.
“I was really surprised seeing how many people actually go through mental health problems,” said senior Jackie Ventura. “It just made me realize that a lot of people really do have to hide it, and it's just something that might not be as shown, but it's there.”
Ventura and her fellow students Jose Almaguer, Jennifer Saavedra and Rannikah Siguiente created a podcast as part of “Impact Academy,” a program that encourages students to make a positive change in their community.
Listen to the full interview with the group, and read excerpts from the conversation below. They have been edited for length and clarity.
Interview highlights
On what they heard about student mental health
Siguiente: What I mainly heard from students was that when they're asking to seek mental health (help), or they're thinking about it, they're mainly afraid to seek help because they're afraid of rejection or judgment. Most times, they're even embarrassed about their issues.
After the pandemic, where we finally went back to in-person schooling, they were overwhelmed being back to interacting with people in person, because for a whole year, you were isolated in your own house, talking to nobody but your family members, and you're talking to your teachers and students only through a screen.
When I finally got back to school in person, I was also overwhelmed.
Ventura: It was really difficult for them, especially after the pandemic. Just coming back to school, after grieving from people that had passed away from COVID and stuff, they talked about how it really affected them. I talked to Ava — she said, “It affected my mental health. I was depressed. My family was dying, and it really messed me up.”
On how teachers are navigating student mental health and their own
Saavedra: I talked to a middle school teacher at Guadalupe Centers Middle School. His name is Chase Shumsky. I thought he would be a good choice to talk to because he knows how students are doing because he's really close to them.
He's used to looking at a student, ask them how they are doing, and if they're acting different, he can tell that maybe they're struggling a little bit, or maybe they need a break.
He talked about how he would see a therapist regularly, and how he is open and honest about it.
Students, I feel like they need to focus on their mental health, but sometimes people don't think about the teachers — so I think it's very nice that he actually goes to see a therapist and that he's actually honest about it.
It shows that maybe you don't have to be embarrassed about that kind of stuff, and it can show other students that maybe it's okay for them to see a therapist as well, and there's nothing wrong with that.
On what issues have the biggest effect on student mental health
Almaguer: From what I've heard, all of them were talking about their grades. Before the pandemic, they said they were pretty productive with their work.
After they went back to school, they said they've for sure lost that a bit. They said they got more lazy aspects going on, and their grades aren't as good.
Ventura: Most of them talked about their life outside of school and what they had to go through, how that affected them mentally.
Just having a difficult life, losing people who you are really close to, obviously. I feel like a lot of us, especially around the area where we live, we find a lot of our family in our friends, so we can imagine just losing friends and stuff outside of school can affect your mental health and academically.
On what mental health support is available at school
Almaguer: We have our counselor. Her name is (Megan) Behrends. I've heard nothing but really good things about her. From what I've heard, my friend Enrique said that if he ever had a problem with his mental health, I think he said he could go to her.
Ventura: I know the school offers a bunch of little groups, and I'm personally in Mattie Rhodes, and I think it's a great group. The Mattie Rhodes program is kind of like a mental health group, and we basically just talk about life and improvements that we've made, and they just make sure we're on track.
It's helped me a lot. It's helped me grow, not just as a person, but just the way I think mentally now. But I do think that expanding these groups, and just allowing more people to join these groups, that would help a lot, because I know a lot more people that aren’t in the group who would benefit from it.
On if students feel well-supported by mental health resources at school
Almaguer: I think so. Sometimes they're just too nervous to open up. I think a lot of people can relate to that. I think it's really hard opening up, especially to someone you've never really talked to, like a counselor, but I think they should know that it's a safe space and that you should go talk to them.
